Family Issue
by PerfesserN
Summary: Bellatrix Lestrange is visiting Harry by night, it is not for their mutual pleasure, the Dark Lord has plans for the Issue of his Enemy. What she gets is completely unexpected.
1. Prologue: While You Were Sleeping

Prologue – While You Were Sleeping

She pours into his dream like warm oil filling in the convolutions of his brain. Her presence is the smell of sandalwood, the taste of salt, the sound and feel of sibilant silk. He feels her wrap around him like a luxurious blanket that covers him, kisses him and takes his swollen member into herself. He feels her soft, dark hair as it completely curtains his face and sees through his half-lidded eyes her impossibly large dark eyes urging him to completion before devouring his mouth in a warm, wet soulful kiss.

He can't move in his dream state, he can only lie there and experience the intense feast of his senses as his dream lover brings him off again, and because he is a teenaged boy, yet again. At some point she shudders and breathes out "Merlin, Morgana and Maeve; my Goddess that's a good seeing to!"

He wants to move, if only to wrap his arms around her and properly return her kiss, but all he can do is breathe harder, more raggedly as the dream girl clutches him with all of herself, her arms and legs anchoring her as she drives their pubic regions together with urgency. She brings him off one last time and covers his face with her soft, fragrant hair as her face rests on his shoulder.

He sleeps on.

She glides off, smirking as she pulls on dark death-eater robes and walks out the front door of Number 4 Privet drive, past the protective wards and up the road to the play park.

"Well?"

"You were right m'lord, the wards are useless against any mage not meaning to harm the boy."

"I know how Dumbledore thinks, and I know how magic works." The Dark Lord knows, better than most that magic is all about intent. It's less about incantations and wand waving and much more about what the witch or wizard intends to do.

It had been absurdly simple to get information from the muggle authorities, Lily Evans had only one surviving relative and the marriage certificate of Petunia Evans and Vernon Dursley was properly filed and remained a matter of public record. No one who meant to harm the boy could get into Number 4 Privet drive but the master and his servant had other plans for the last Potter.

"M'lord?"

Voldemort was snapped out of his reverie by the question.

"Yes?"

"Will I need to come back tomorrow night?"

"I know it's a _sacrifice_ dear Bellatrix," his serpentine face a picture of pained sarcasm "but we want to be sure the little visitor takes. Tomorrow and one more night for good measure."

Bellatrix Lestrange merely nodded as she was not at all adverse to two more repeat performances.

Lord Voldemort allowed himself a smug grin; he knew that yet another strategy was in place to ensure his immortality.

"The issue of my enemy is my guarantee of success" he thought aloud, "and you my dear Bellatrix will be the vessel of that success."

"My life is but to serve, my lord"


	2. Chapter 1: A Delicious Irony

Chapter 1 – A Delicious Irony

Harry woke the next morning feeling drained but very relaxed. He half-remembered his very erotic dreams from the night before and wondered what had brought them about. He hadn't seen or done anything that would have carried over into his dreams. He also worried for a moment that he might have to wash his shorts and or sheets from any night time emissions but a quick check set his mind as ease. It had seemed so _real_. He could almost imagine the scent of sandalwood and musk lingering in the air. Maybe Dudly was burning incense to try to cover the smell of cannabis in his room.

He performed his morning ablutions then headed downstairs to see what chores were on his list today. Since returning from Hogwarts and Dumbledore's funeral the Dursleys had thought it best to treat Harry as though he weren't there. Their only real form of communication was in the form of pages from a memo pad left on the kitchen counter with short notes like "weed the garden" or "vacuum the living room." The rest of the time Vernon, Petunia and Dudley were just not there. Not that they were "there" even when they were home. Harry had a room and a plate at dinner time when the Dursleys took evening meals together but the rest of the time Harry was allowed to fend for himself. Perhaps the Dursleys realized that Harry was soon to come into his wizard majority and would be able to use whatever magic suited him. It suited them to not piss off what was shortly to become a fully vetted sorcerer in their own home.

Petunia had taken Dudley off to some training matches today while Vernon was away at work. Harry made toast and coffee and had a bit of left-over bacon for breakfast before cleaning up the kitchen. The ubiquitous note was on the counter. Today the note simply said "Don't leave the house unlocked if you go anywhere, and don't leave any mess." That was a laugh. Harry had spent the majority of his life cleaning up after the Dursleys, especially his pig of a cousin, and they were telling him to clean up after himself. He shrugged and thought to himself "I'm going to make someone a fine house-elf someday."

One good thing about having the house to himself, he could ring up Hermione anytime he wanted. He had in fact spoken more with her over this summer than in the previous five summers that he had know her combined. It was nice to hear a friendly voice on a regular basis. Just yesterday she had told her parents that Hogwarts might not be re-opening in September and that she and Harry and Ron might be completing their magical education elsewhere.

Harry wondered for a moment if his conversations with Hermione might be the reason for his erotic dreams but then remembered large, dark eyes and soft fragrant hair that flowed on and around him. Hermione's hair was brown and bushy, and her eyes were likewise brown. The times that she had hugged him Harry had caught the distinctive scent of apples and spice. His dream girl smelled of sandalwood.

He shook his head and thought "I have got to get a real girlfriend; I'm starting to compare Hermione to a dream. Maybe Ginny? Ginny who smelled of clean soap and strawberries? Ginny who'd said she'd never given up on me, maybe she could. . . No! Not until Voldemort is dead and gone. Better to have a dream girl than someone that old snake-lips can get to and use against me!"

Harry decided to get out of the house for a while, maybe sit on a bench at the play park and study his defense lessons neatly disguised as a novel. He took two small cartons of some kind of fruit juice (something of Dudley's no doubt) and put an apple in each pocket of the light jacket he wore. He took his wand just in case; dementors after all, knew where he could be found courtesy of the undersecretary of magic, Umbitch. And now all the dementors worked for Lord Moldishorts.

A short walk later he found an empty picnic table where he could spread out his little picnic and his study materials. He was glad for the windbreaker as it was an unseasonably cool day for mid-July in Surrey – overcast and breezy. Mothers kept half an eye on him as well as their own sprogs playing on the slides and swings. Harry didn't mind, you really can't be too careful these days. He waved cheerfully at the clutch of mums of all ages and descriptions, some waved back in a desultory fashion as if to say "we know you know we're watching you."

One young mom had long, slightly wavy black hair and large eyes like black pools surrounded by an olive-skinned Mediterranean complexion; Harry was yet again reminded of his nocturnal visitor. Maybe she was the inspiration for the dream, but where if at all had he seen this woman before? She noticed him noticing her and stared quizzically back at him. He reddened under her scrutiny, but smiled and waved again. The lady nodded in greeting then went back to her little charges. Harry went back to studying.

"It is far easier to deflect a curse than to block it altogether," he read. "With practice the duelist can deflect a curse back at the attacker before the caster can come up with a shield or counter spell in time."

Duels. Harry didn't need lessons in dueling. He needed lessons in fighting; knock-down, drag out, up-close and personal hit him where and when he's not expecting it fighting. But where was he going to find that? Where was he going to find someone with lots of real combat experience who hated death eaters and would be willing to teach. . . Teach. A real teacher, someone who had enough free time to help him and Hermione and Ron to fight with a reasonable chance of surviving.

Moody. Alastor Moody. Excellent; Harry would owl him immediately and see if he could be persuaded to help them in his quest for the remaining horcruxes. Harry closed the dueling book with a satisfying snap and happily munched on an apple while he watched the kids play. If he had anything to say about it, these same muggle children would be growing up in a Voldemort-free world.

Back at number four a death eater, dressed as a meter reader was carefully placing the delayed-action rune stone that would ensure that all in that house would sleep deeply and peacefully that night between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM. Nott nodded to himself and deemed the rune work doable before apparating away with a look of smug self-congratulation.

Later that night Harry finished the letter to Moody, he had to be careful what he put in the letter, but had no qualms about asking the retired auror to train him and his friends. He left out any reference to horcruxes and their search for them. That information was too sensitive to put into writing. He looked longingly at his little lumpy bed and opted to write letters to Ron and Hermione for Hedwig to deliver after she got back with Moody's reply. Probably not till morning. Harry left the unfinished letters on his little table that doubled as a desk, striped down to his boxers and crawled between the sheets.

"Wonder if I'll have a repeat of last night's dream?" he thought as he turned the light off.

At half twelve he caught the scent of sandalwood and heard the sound of heavy cloth as if a blanket (or a cloak?) crumpled to the floorboards. As had happened the night before he couldn't move so he thought he was in a vivid dream; what was it called? He remembered reading something about it in one of Petunia's magazines. Lucid. That was it, lucid dreaming. When you are dreaming but know you are dreaming. He couldn't see owing to the dim moonlight and the fact that his glasses were on the nightstand but he could hear bare feet padding toward him.

He felt the right side of his mattress dip downward as his dream lover placed her knee so that she could swing her other leg over to straddle him. She didn't feel heavy but there was a substantial weight concentrating on his nether regions. He couldn't help but rise to the occasion. Well, that part of him anyway. She leaned forward and Harry felt the now familiar cascade of soft, scented hair on his neck and chest.

"Anything worth doing is worth doing right, darling," she whispered in what sounded like an eastern European accent, "and we have all night."

Harry wanted to groan but had to be content with a very satisfied sigh.

Four hours later his dream girl staggered up the drive to the play park where Harry had spent his previous afternoon.

"Did you get what you needed Bellatrix?"

"I believe so m'lord, but we should return tomorrow to be sure." She hoped that she didn't sound too hopeful to her lord and master.

"Yes, yes. What is that old saying? Ah yes, 'third time is the charm' and we want this charm to succeed, oh yes."

"And then we kill him?" she hoped her voice was flat and devoid of emotion.

"Oh contraire my dear, we must not let any harm befall the boy while you carry his child – the enchantment is very specific. The sire must come to no harm. Even though his very existence is a danger to me, until this child is born we must cherish him and protect him from all that would harm him. It is a delicious irony."


	3. Chapter 2: Are You Real?

Chapter 2 – Are You Real?

Harry was tired. Mad Eye Moody had entered his morning like the Regimental Sergeant Major he was. The fact was that Alastor Moody had been praying for just such an opportunity and he took his commission to train Harry with the same enthusiasm that Moses took his commission from the burning bush. The first thing Mr. Moody had set Harry to had been conditioning drills. Run, drop and roll, get up and run some more. Then things got really interesting as Mr. Moody had also enlisted the help of several of his auror friends. Harry learned several things that first day of training: he learned the difference between cover and concealment; he learned that the muscles needed to play Quidditch were different from the muscles needed for combat. He learned that there was no such thing as a fair fight, the winner was the mage still standing when it was all over. He learned that just because an opponent was down didn't mean he was out and he learned that Sergeant Major Moody enjoyed pain; other people's pain. He knew that the rest of the summer was going to be sheer hell and he was grateful.

Harry went to bed without supper that night, unless four aspirins and half a liter of water counted as supper. He slept like a baby until just past midnight.

Maybe it was the ache of his hitherto unused muscles, maybe it was because he had gone to bed a little earlier that night he was restive; but whatever the reason he was more awake when his muscles locked up on this occasion. He felt her presence again, the sounds the smells the sensations the dark hair and eyes seemed more vivid tonight than any time before.

"I may not see you again darling, so we must be very thorough tonight. Let us begin."

She pulled the sheet down to his feet and tugged the elastic of his shorts down to mid-thigh so that he was completely exposed. She straddled him as she had the night before but this time she swayed back and forth, forward and back stroking him with her soft dark hair as though she were marking him with invisible pigment and her luxurious hair was the brush.

She used her naked body to caress his, wallowing in his scent; trying to capture the essence of him for future fantasies. She climaxed over and over again rubbing off on his abdomen, his thighs his erect member, before even beginning to take him into herself.

As Bellatrix was losing herself in the sheer sensuality of the moment something was happening insider her. Some of Harry's little swimmers from their encounter two days prior had traversed the watery mucus of her ovulating cervix and entered her uterus. Undulations of her uterine wall had helped the sperm reach the left fallopian tube. Cilia in the lining of the tube had modified the sperm before releasing it to the egg. A combination of magic and chemistry allowed the egg to select one lucky swimmer which was allowed to deliver its precious cargo – twenty-three chromosomes of pure Harry. The twenty-three chromosomes that were pure Bellatrix approached those of Harry forming the classic yin-yang pattern understood by all Asian philosophers. The single cell that was the egg began to divide. What had been the egg was now an embryo.

At that point several things began to happen. The forming embryo affected an embryonic link between mother and father. That link, more ancient and stronger by far than any bond formed by man or wizard, took the dark link between Bellatrix and Voldemort and subdued it. That done, the link solidified between Bellatrix and Harry forming a rudimentary bond that did not allow one mage's magic to be used against the other; the body bind holding Harry was released. Harry wrapped his arms around his dream lover for the first time, and also, for the first time, initiated a deep soulful penetrating kiss pouring out his need, his desire for his mate. She felt an overpowering craving to be as close to him as possible and took him into herself as before but this time Harry rolled her onto her back putting her in the submissive position as he began the intimate dance of the ages to consummate their bond again, and again, and again, and yet again.

A short time later as she lay there, completely sated, Harry mirrored her ministrations from earlier, worshiping her body with his lips, his fingers and his tongue. Bellatrix thought she knew about all things sensual and carnal, what she wasn't prepared for was the depth of emotion this young man has stirred within her. She felt that she could die in his arms and for the first time in her miserable existence, she would be truly happy.

"Are you real?" she asked, lost in the depths of his green eyes reflected in the moonlight.

"Are _you_ real?" he asked, sinking into her unbelievably large, dark orbs.

"If you are, please stay."

Author's note: I have seen the formation of the zygote through a microscope and the 'yin-yang' image is authentic. I wasn't able to photograph the cell but the image is burned forever in my memory.


	4. Chapter 3: Dark Hair, Dark Eyes

Chapter 3 – Dark Hair, Dark Eyes

The pre-dawn morning sky was beginning to lighten when Bellatrix walked out of Number Four. For the first time in her life she had experienced after-play, the cuddling and gentle touching of someone who behaved as though he genuinely cared for her. She had spent the last hour memorizing the topography of Harry's form and face reflected in the moonlight. It was magic of a type she knew nothing about. He fought sleep knowing in his heart that his dream lover would be gone when he woke; she dozed off and on until she noticed the lateness of the hour. Carefully she extracted herself from his embrace. "Embrace?" she pondered, "He shouldn't have been able to do that; he should have remained fairly petrified throughout the night."

She had kept herself technically pure throughout school – her talented tongue would always bring her "dates" to completion. Her reputation had been tarnished but she could honestly tell the marriage broker that she was a virgin when asked. Hell, she had even passed the "unicorn test" when one of the families had expressed skepticism. When she married Rodolphus Lestrange, a man almost twenty years her senior, their wedding night had been a dismal disenchantment. He had huffed and poked with all the finesse of a clumsy adolescent leaving her sore and unfulfilled.

What Bellatrix didn't know was that her deflowering had been part of a dark maiden's blood ritual that bound her to her husband, his degeneracy, his sadistic cruelty. The ritual planted a seed of evil in her soul that would be nurtured in an environment of utter depravity. That part of the enchantment worked as advertised, no real affection ever developed between her and Rodolphus, her place was to support him in all his endeavors and produce an heir as soon as possible.

She spent most of her first year of marriage "doing her duty" by her husband but failed to produce any results so he lost all interest, leaving her to distract herself wherever and however she pleased. Her less than worthless husband never could get it up for her after the first month; then would beat or crucio her for his failures. She would happily have given herself to her lord and master but he apparently had other inclinations.

Three weeks ago Voldemort had approached her with a proposition.

"The 'Issue of Mine Enemy' is a spell that will allow me to have a less conspicuous appearance," he had told her. She knew something of her lord's efforts to secure his, and presumably his followers' immortality. Everyone in the inner circle had seen the dehumanizing effects of the Dark Lord's spellwork until what was left could only be called "humanoid." She also knew that recruitment had suffered because of Voldemort's less than human appearance – it did tend to put off the purebloods. The spell required the son or daughter of one's greatest enemy, indeed, a vital aspect of the spell was that it must be the caster's greatest threat.

Only one person had defied him more than three times – it would not do for anyone in the inner circle to mention that the Potter brat had survived Voldemort's efforts twice that number. The son or daughter, presumably a child would be taken by force from a parent and then flayed alive. The skin and blood would become the new face and skin of the caster – it did not matter how old – or young – the child was, just that it had been born of a normal pregnancy after three trimesters. The mutilated remains of the child would be sent to the father whose grief and rage would complete the spell. As an added bonus the parents would often fly into a suicidal rage ending their own lives in delicious despair.

Bellatrix had her reservations; what if she failed the Dark Lord in this? The cruciatus curses from her husband, painful as they were, were as gentle caresses compared to the curses of Lord Voldemort. In the end she had agreed; how could she not? Her lord and master even insinuated that she might find the experience enjoyable. Now she found herself walking away from the only true tenderness she had ever known.

Harry woke later that morning thinking, "there must be something wrong with me, I did things in that dream that I haven't even read about in Ron's old hoard of Play Wizard magazines. I should feel bad about it but it's not like I really had a girl, no, a woman in my bed last night, right?"

He got up and groaned. He was sore in places he didn't even know he had. The clock on his small table told him that the Dursleys would be gone by now so he headed down to the kitchen and the smell of the morning's bacon. Something about the smell wasn't right. Not that it wasn't fresh – bacon never had a chance to go bad around Vernon and Dudly. It just wasn't right. He decided to settle for dry toast and coffee this morning.

Harry was startled by a tapping on the kitchen window and relaxed when he saw the owl. He gave the owl some left-over bacon as he removed the scroll and small box from the owl's leg. The note read 'Grab your wand and then touch the bottle cap, it's a portkey' it was signed by Alastor Moody. The note also contained two passwords that told Harry that the note was genuine and the portkey was safe to take. He ran up to the second bedroom and threw on some clothes and trainers before grabbing his wand and touching the bottle cap. Instantly he felt the familiar tug behind his navel.

"Welcome to Tank Hill" growled Moody.

Harry saw a tall wooden water tank, similar to the one that re-supplied the Hogwart's Express with water at King's Cross and Hogsmeade stations.

"This is Auror Training Camp A-9, you will be joining the second platoon for their exercises today, here" Moody handed him a maroon cloak like those of the other trainees, "put this on, you'll not stand out as much."

Exercises were just that, physical conditioning, followed by one on one wand to wand combat drills with Moody. Harry was reminded of the drills he had put the DA through in his fifth year and recognized many of the spells and shields from the resource materials that Remus and Sirius had provided.

"Who's this kid, then?" one of the recruits asked. His crisp looking trainee cloak made his already large frame look even more intimidating.

"Whot's your name recruit?" Moody snapped.

The young auror in training snapped to attention and yelled "Sorry sah, didn't see you there sah, Recruit Squad Leader Smythe sah!"

"This 'kid,' Smythe, has seen more action in his short life than most aurors see in their entire careers. How many times have you seen He-who-must-not-be-named?"

RSL Smythe paled, "Nevah sah!"

"This young man has not only seen Voldemort, but has fought him to a standstill on two different occasions, not to mention surviving his killing curse almost sixteen years ago!"

"Harry Potter? I mean sah, this is Harry Potter, sah?"

"Right in one Smythe, he's already a passin' powerful wizard, but he's got some rough edges and you lot have the honor and privilege of giving him a fine finish."

"Sah, yes sah!"

"Who's the best one on one fighter here, Smythe?"

"That would be me, sah!"

"Harry, meet your sparring partner."

Harry looked at the Auror trainee and sighed, "great."

"Right," Moody barked, "face off."

Harry assumed a fighting stance and saluted his opponent. Smythe rolled his eyes and shot off two quick stinging hexes that dropped Harry to his knees.

"What the HELL was that about?" shouted Moody.

"I thought we were dueling," groaned Harry as he painfully got to his feet.

"This aint a duel, mate, we don't learn to duel here. We learn to fight, and if we're very good we get to go back to our rooms at the end of the day."

"And if you're not?"

"To the Infirmary."

Harry shook off the effects of the stingers and fixed Moody with a glare.

"Hey, you're the one askin' me t' teach you t' fight."

Harry nodded, then faced Smythe.

"Again?"

"Tha' was jus a warm up, mate, y' up to it?"

"In for a knut, in for a galleon" Harry replied.

"Face off" Moody barked.

This time Harry jumped to his left, threw up a quick protego shield and got off a good jelly-legs jinx which hit Smythe's unprotected side. He folded like a house of cards.

Moody canceled the jinx and moved close to Harry so that he could whisper and not be overheard.

"Lay off the schoolboy hexes, its insulting t' the trainees. Concentrate on expelliarmus, stupefy, and incarcerous. Even a cutting curse would be allowed here. These recruits have to train hard to earn their badges and they fight like they're gonna kill each other, but they's still mates at the end o' the day."

"Not bad Potter, whot say two outta three?"

"You're on Smythe"

This time neither of the combatants waited for Moody to start them off, they just went to it. Hexes and shields flashed back and forth and neither of the young men stayed in one spot – both knew the advantage being the moving target. Sometimes Harry got in a good hex, sometimes it was Smythe. Both had excellent defensive skills.

By now a small crowd had formed around the two sparring wizards.

"Holy Shite," one of the recruits yelled, "do y' know who tha' is?"

Moody lifted his wand in the air and set off a cannon blast spell, everyone stopped and stared.

"General order number three is in effect as of now. No one has seen Mr. Potter here; no one knows what is going on here. If word of his presence here leaks out I'll know it was someone in this platoon and you will all be discharged with extreme prejudice!"

There was a general intake of breath. Extreme prejudice meant that their memories would be wiped clean of all the training and they would find themselves at home with a great gaping hole in their lives that could never be satisfied.

Smythe hung his head and said, "There was no need t' say that, Sergeant Major, this squad and this platoon are mates an we know when t' keep our gobs shut."

"RSL Smythe, I can't begin to tell you how vital this is. This young man has taken it upon himself to stand between us, all o' us, and the worst threat the wizarding world has seen in this century. We owe it to him to give him, and all o' us the best chance t' beat the Dark Tosser!"

Harry looked over at the platoon members, recognizing two of the recruits who had been 7th year students the year before. One was Marietta Edgecomb the other was a Hufflepuff he had seen in the DA two years before.

"Baxter, isn't it."

"Glad to see you too Potter," Charles Baxter grinned, "I see you've kept up the DA work."

"Yeah, well. Having a homicidal maniac will do for keeping you on your toes."

"Harry."

He turned and saw a very contrite Marietta standing beside him.

"I never got the chance to say I'm sorry" she said. "My Ma was workin' for the ministry and I was under all kinds of pressure and I know that's no excuse but I really am sorry. I'll take a magical oath if you want; that I'll never tell anyone about seeing you here, ever."

Harry looked at her and saw the truth in her haunted eyes. He saw her anxious need for acceptance – she'd had a very bad last year at Hogwarts, no one had wanted to be seen with her, even Cho Chang had drifted away from the social leper that she had become. Now Marietta was trying desperately to fit in, to be part of something important, to be accepted as part of a group again.

"It's enough that you would make the offer, Marietta, I'll accept your word as enough." He offered his hand and she took it and shook it once firmly before gathering him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you, oh Harry, thank you." She choked out between sobs.

"Hey, hey, whots this then," growled Moody, albeit with a lopsided grin, "tisn't liberty weekend. Potter, stop fraternizing with the recruits."

Harry and Marietta chuckled as they broke the embrace. She went back to her squad-mates and he walked a short distance away with Moody.

"That was a truly decent thing y' did there Potter, Edgecombe has been havin' a hard time of it – seems some things follow you even after y' leave school."

"Blaming someone for something they did as a kid in school seems like an awful waste of energy." Harry said, "I don't know what I would have done in her shoes."

"Aye, I see 'bout half the poor sods in Azkaban and think, there but for the grace of whatever gods there are. . ."

". . . go I" finished Harry.

Both men thought long and hard on that one.

"Mess call," one of the recruits called out.

Charles and Marietta came to fetch Harry; Moody stopped them and told them to wait just a moment while he put a glamour on Potter.

"You look good as a blond" she said, "can you do anything about the scar Sergeant Major?"

Moody reached into his cloak and pulled out a small tin of concealing makeup.

"Sometimes the best solution is the simplest, here" he said as he handed the concealer to Marietta.

She spread the putty-like substance on Harry's forehead then stepped back and nodded in approval.

"Excellent, now we go by our last names here and we can't call you 'Potter' or the whole regiment will know you're here." Baxter mused "do you have a middle name?"

"James."

"And what was your mother's maiden name?" Marietta asked

"Evans."

"Right then, while you're here you will not answer to Harry or Potter, just James or Evans or Recruit, cause that's what we all go by most of the time."

"Let's eat, Recruit Evans!"

As they approached the common mess Harry could pick out the different smells of institutionalized food. Lots of salt, carbohydrates and fats; it smelled wonderful.

As they were going through the line Charles warned "Don't eat too much, James, we have more conditioning drills right after lunch and you'll just make y' self sick."

Harry contented himself with a modest portion of pie and mash along with a Sally Lun.

The afternoon was, as promised very active. Physical conditioning followed by a short five kilometer jog followed by more sparring drills; as five o'clock rolled around Moody came to collect Harry.

"Best run through the showers before headin' to your relatives" Moody said.

While Harry got a quick shower someone scourgified his clothes and set them on a bench neatly folded. He arrived at Number Four just a few minutes ahead of the Dursleys and did a quick wipe-down of all the kitchen surfaces so that it would look like he had been home but had managed to clean up after himself as usual.

Diner was the same quiet affair that had become the norm for Privet Drive.

Harry went to the second bedroom after dinner to revise some of the materials that Smythe and Baxter and Edgecombe had given him to cram. He had, after all some catching up to do.

Harry read and took notes for about two hours when he suddenly came over very tired. He looked at his notes and looked at the bed and sighed, "just half an hour more, then I'll go to bed."

He kept his promise to himself and groaned as he climbed onto his tiny mattress. His dreams were an odd jumble of basic training and Azkaban and fragments of memories and insights into Voldemort's inner circle. Memories and images that included, to his horror, those of a beautiful dark haired lady with incredibly dark eyes; Bellatrix Lestrange.

Author's note: Second Platoon, Ninth Company, Auror Regiment is based on my Basic Combat training company at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Tank Hill is a real place, just not in Great Britain. The ACS or Auror Candidate School is based on my own Officer Candidate School experiences. The "Sah" is what I hear when a Brit says "Sir" it's not a speech impediment, it's an accent. My Scottish cousins would say something that sounds more like "Sar." My Irish grandfather would say "Sair" as an honorific. Southern OCS candidates were often heard saying "Suh."


	5. Chapter 4: Sah, yes Sah!

Chapter 4 – "Sah, yes sah!"

His dreams were an odd jumble of basic training and Azkaban and the smell of sandalwood and fragments of memories and insights into Voldemort's inner circle. Images which included to his horror a beautiful dark haired lady with incredibly dark familiar eyes; Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry shot bolt upright in a cold sweat and looked around half-expecting to see death-eaters in the bedroom.

"What brought that on?" he puzzled, "talk about the ultimate mood killer, Bellatrix Lestrange in my bed? It's enough to put a bloke off birds!"

He pondered that thought for just a moment; shook his head and said "nahhh!"

He had a fitful night and woke the next morning rested, but not refreshed as he had the previous three mornings.

"I guess my lady found herself another dreamer to seduce" Harry thought, "pity. I was beginning to look forward to sleeping."

His thoughts came back around to Bellatrix. How could he be having erotic dreams about his godfather's murderer?

"She is beautiful though" a traitorous thought weaseled in.

"She's gotta be like forty or something."

"More like thirty-something; she looks like she's twenty-something, _and_ witches live a lot longer than muggles."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that when you live two to three times as long as the muggles age differences of a mere decade or two don't matter."

"She's a maniac and a murderer."

"She's twisted like a pretzel not doubt, but is she a murderer?"

"Hell yes, she killed Sirius."

"She caused his death but was it murder?"

"What does that mean?"

"Did you see her cast a killing curse?"

"No."

"What did she cast?"

"It was a stunner, I could tell by the color."

"If she wanted him dead wouldn't she have cast an A-K?"

"Maybe."

"How did she act when Sirius went through the veil?"

"Triumphant."

"Triumphant yes, because she got him with a stunning curse, but what about when he didn't return from the veil?"

"I don't know – things got a little hairy after that. . ."

"Pity you don't have a penseive, you could look at that memory again."

"As much fun as this is, arguing with myself, I think I'd like to get some breakfast before Sergeant Major Moody comes to call."

Harry went down to the kitchen and smelled eggs and bacon on a plate under some foil. Apparently Petunia had made enough for leftovers. Harry didn't really register how acute his sense of smell had become until he lifted the foil and the smell seemed to explode off the plate.

Moody arrived ten minutes later and immediately cast the blond glamour then he and Harry apparated to the training grounds. When they arrived it was more or less a repeat of the previous morning but after lunch they were scheduled to run "tactical drills."

Harry paired up with Baxter this morning and was soon having to pick up the affable recruit every other spell.

"Cor, Ha – I mean James, I'm going ta need a little help heah" he looked around and found Recruit Squad Leader Smythe, "Oi, RSL!"

Smythe looked over his shoulder at them, "all right?"

"Harry needs more challenge than I can give, how 'bout it?"

The RSL smiled "think he can take the two o' us?"

"I dunno RSL, he seems in rare form t'day f'some reason."

"Must na' have gotten a leg over las' night – makes a bloke mean."

"Is tha' why you're the best out here RSL?"

Smythe gave Baxter a withering glare and looked at Harry before asking "all right recruit?"

"Nevah bettah RSL"

With that the two on one commenced, Harry gave as good as he got. Sometimes the combined spell work by Baxter and Smythe were enough to take him down but he was able to play one man's position off another more often than not. He had just landed a spectacularly successful combination where his spell ricocheted off Baxter's shield and hit Smythe; when Baxter took his eyes off Harry to check on the Recruit Squad Leader Harry stunned him.

Harry pumped his fist in the air much the same way he did when he caught the snitch, but he had the presence of mind to keep his wand leveled on his two opponents the whole time. That, probably more than the combination shot, got Moody's attention.

"Evans" he growled.

Harry took a moment for it to register that he was Evans.

"Sah?" he replied.

Moody got within whispering distance and said in a hoarse whisper "if yer gonna play the part of a recruit the first and last word out of your mouth when speaking to a superior officer will be 'sah,' unnerstand?"

"Sah, yes sah!"

"Now to the why I hobbled ovah; tha' was some spot on sparrin' there – d'ye think you could teach the others that trick?"

Harry answered with a surprised "Sah, yes sah."

"After lunch then" Moody nodded and limped away.

"Mess call!"

Marietta jogged over and helped Smythe and Baxter up and the four of them headed for the open mess. Harry enjoyed the kebabs and a chick pea and carrot salad and had a perfectly respectable treacle tart for afters.

After lunch the platoon met back at the training grounds for a demonstration of "innovative sparring techniques." Recruit Evans was called to demonstrate. Harry put on his DA persona and described the spells he used in detail, directed other recruits to demonstrate the hexes to the group at large then had them work on their individual protegos.

"When a spell hits your shield your opponent can see if it's a flat surface or a curved surface. Most shield spells are flat and predictable."

Harry had three random recruits stand in a staggered formation then shouted "Face off!"

The three recruits didn't hesitate, they started firing stunners at Harry immediately, the only problem was he wasn't there. He had apparated behind his three sparring partners and bound them together as one mass of six arms and legs in an all encompassing incarcerous hex.

"Rule number one, don't be predictable!" Harry instructed; then called "Baxter, Edgecombe!"

He was gratified to see the real auror recruits jog up to him as if he were a drill instructor.

"RSL Smythe, if you please?"

Smythe came forward but at a more relaxed pace, more as an equal than a subordinate. "Smythe please pick two recruits and prepare to face off."

The RSL chose two of the burliest auror candidates in the platoon, both of them fellow Recruit Squad Leaders.

"Oh shite Harr, I mean Evans. . .we're gonna get right done to" Marietta groused.

"We're fine here; just keep close and when I say 'now' close your eyes tight, okay?"

They both nodded and took deep cleansing breaths.

The Squad Leader Trio spread out trying to out flank Harry's group Harry called out Edgecombe left, Baxter right, I've got Smythe!"

The stunners flew rapid-fire from the burly trainees but the shields held as Harry was supplementing his team's shields with his own.

Over the din of shielded wand fire Harry called out "when I say 'now,' close your eyes, when I say 'reducto' blast the ground at your man's feet, ready. . .now!"

Harry's wand gave off a flash that would have everyone watching seeing spots for a week.

"Reducto!"

Three blasts hit the ground at their opponent's feet and the dazed and disoriented recruits fell on their faces.

"Stupefy!"

"Incarcerous!"

"Petrificus totalus!"

And the match was over.

"Recruit Evans!"

"Sah, yes sah!" Harry called back to Moody. This was getting fun, playing auror cadet.

"Front and centah!"

"Sah, yes sah!" he shouted as he ran to the voice.

Harry had been expecting to run up to Moody, but was directed over to a taller, older man.

"Evans, this is Commandant Hayden."

Harry didn't know what to do, was he supposed to salute? He didn't even know how so he stood ramrod straight awaiting orders.

"Good show, recruit! That was some of the finest teamwork I've ever seen on this facility!"

Moody looked at Harry, then at the Commandant, then back to Harry as if to say 'say something!'

"Sah, thank you sah, doin' my best to learn sah!"

"I'd say you're doing bettah than that recruit, whot's the name again?"

"Evans sah, recruit Evans sah!"

"Now that's where you're wrong, your name is RPL Evans until I say otherwise!"

"Sah, yes sah. Thank you sah!"

Commandant Hayden strolled away in a very good mood, Harry looked dazed and confused and Moody put his face in his hands and grumbled "oh shite, shite, shite!"

"Uh, RPL Evans, sah?" Marietta asked hesitatingly, "a word if you please, sah?"

Harry let himself be led off by Edgecombe.

"What is RPL and why are you calling me 'sir?'"

"Because you are now the Recruit Platoon Leader and you have the honorary rank of a captain is why, sah."

Harry closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and repeated what Moody had said moments before.


	6. Chapter 5: Goodbye Number Four

Chapter 5 – Goodbye Number Four

"Lad," Moody growled, "d'ye have even an inkling o' the amount of paper we just made ar'selvs ta do?"

"Sir?"

Marietta interjected "You just got promoted to the First among the trainees in Second Platoon, you have to either disappear and lose this opportunity for continued training or you have to be, in fact, James Evans our esteemed Recruit Platoon Leader."

"Oh."

She took a deep, cleansing breath, squared her shoulders and said "You'll be needin' a yeoman to manage the paperwork and a Master at Arms t' help keep the rest o' the recruits in line. I'll be nominating m'self as yeoman." Marietta's Irish accent apparently became pronounced when she was under pressure.

Harry immediately realized the value of her offer and was grateful for it; she knew all the ins and outs of auror training and could keep him from looking like an idiot who had just been promoted beyond his capabilities.

"Smythe" Harry called out.

The Recruit Squad Leader jogged over to him.

"RSL, you know the spot I've found myself in?"

Smythe grinned and nodded.

"Are you all right with the idea of me as your platoon leader? I mean, I just got here and it looks like I'm tryin' to take over."

The burly recruit looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "aside from knowin' who you are and what you have to do, I have learned more in two days of sparring with you than I have in six weeks of training here. Hell, I'm chuffed to serve with you and will be proud to tell my grandkids who I trained under if the secrecy act ever loosens up."

Harry's face split into an evil grin, "well, in that case, I need a Master at Arms and you are hereby volunteered!"

What Harry didn't know was that the platoon master at arms was the First among the Recruit Squad Leaders; second only to the Recruit Platoon Leader in the chain of command.

"I'm proud t' serve under you Harry" Marietta cooed.

Harry went red as a raspberry, and the two recruits laughed at their new and way-too-easily embarrassed platoon leader

"Repple, that's you Harry," Moody beckoned "bring y' staff along, we have some planning t' do."

The old Sergeant Major took them to a small Quonset hut divided into part office, part living quarters, consisting of a small bedroom with an adjoining shower and WC, and part conference room.

"Welcome to the Repple flat," he announced with an arcane (and slightly arthritic) flourish.

The four co-conspirators spent the rest of the day crafting a past for "James Evans." James it turns out was an orphan of undeterminable parentage who had attended a small private academy of magic that had suffered from an unfortunate case of dragon demolition. The only documented parts of his past that had survived were the "official" records of James' O.W.L. and N.E.W.T scores which were, of course, stellar. He had no family but had until just recently belonged to a druid sect that required him to spend time in seclusion from sunset to sunrise which is why no one had noticed him before in the barracks.

"No one's ever gonna' buy this crap story" Harry groused.

"People believe what they want t' believe" Moody replied, "This'll work."

Harry groaned when he realized that he'd have to wake up at five-thirty every day that wasn't a liberty weekend and that he would probably have to work late into the night writing out lesson plans and orders passed down from the regiment for the following day.

"Brilliant, I get to stay up late but I make up for it by getting up early. . ."

"Such is the awesome burden of command, James" Marietta rebounded with a smile.

"Well, the Dursleys won't see me anymore, that'll make em' happy I guess."

"About that Harry," Moody asked, "how long are you plannin' stay there?"

"I guess until my birthday on the 31st, I'll be seventeen after that and the blood protection expires."

"How long have you been there?"

"I dunno, a month maybe?"

Moody grunted "Never looked inta blood wards did ye lad?"

"No."

"The blood wards will stay in effect until you're seventeen, tis' true, but you don't have ta spend mor'n a fortnight in the warded home t' set them in place."

Harry's hopes soared, "do you mean to tell me. . ?"

"The only reason y'have for goin' back to that 'family' o' yours is t' pick up your owl and trunk."

The resounding whoop could be heard three counties away.

Mad-eye and Harry portkeyed to the back yard of Number Four just after dinner; the Dursley's eyes grew wide and fearful as the grizzled and scarred old auror clumped into the living room.

"Harry's done with ye'" Moody said, "he's a decent lad who's grown up that way in spite o' the way he was treated here."

Vernon was beginning to purple, Petunia looked around the room focusing on anything but the fearful sight before her and Dudley was trying unsuccessfully to sink into the settee's cushions.

"He was put with you lot because, God and the Goddess help him, yer'all family. Protections have been on this house since he was abandoned here. Bad, and I mean really bad wizards (they all cringed at the 'w' word) well, these folks have meant mischief on him and his family – meaning you lot - all this time, but they couldn't get past the wards. Those protections will fall one second past midnight on the 30th o' July. If I was you, I'd find someplace else t' be that whole week. Hell I'd be outta the country f' the next month or so."

He stumped over to the base of the stair, "all right Harry?"

"Just sending Hedwig to my flat, be right down."

"Take your time lad."

Moody moved heavily back to the Dursleys who looked like they were having trouble digesting the fact that Harry's presence had protected _them_ for the past fifteen years, and that protection would be gone at the end of the month.

"He's gettin' trained up to face the worst of the worst of em' and frankly, he has maybe half a chance o' winning an a better'n even chance of dying."

Petunia's face paled, Vernon harrumphed and Dudley looked stupid, as usual.

"He's going t' say goodbye, be courteous enough to wish him well or I just might let a few folks know how he's been treated all these years; an' by whom."

Harry's wheeled trunk thumped down the stairs preceded by its owner, then rolled into the living room. He took a deep breath and seemed lost in thought for a moment; then he spoke softly.

"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley. I'm going now, I'd like to say thank you for my room and board while I was here but I can't. You never loved me; you made my life a living hell. You never let me be a child. I hope I never have kids, because if you are what I have to go by it would be better that they never be born. All the same, goodbye. If we see each other on the street someday lets just pretend we don't okay?"

Moody glared at the three muggles.

"Goodbye." Vernon said quickly then looked away.

"Goodbye." Petunia echoed her lower lip trembling, perhaps in guilt, perhaps in grief.

"Bye." Dudley said then looked at his mum and dad.

Harry nodded then walked out the door of Number Four wheeling his trunk behind him for the last time.

Harry stopped on the walk in front of the house and asked "do you have or can you get a pensieve?"

Author's Note: When a service member shows a level of competence during training he or she will often be given a position of responsibility, even authority within the organization. I wanted Harry to have a clean break with the Dursleys, they are the only family he knows about.


	7. Chapter 6: In the Hall of the Dark Lord

Chapter 6 – In the Hall of the Dark Lord

Dawn Pennywhite was at the end of her rope, her parents had kicked her out of their home when she became pregnant and forced her onto the street. She had been able to make ends meet selling herself until her swollen belly became too pronounced. Social services could only offer her a bed and paltry meals at the local shelter. She had found a purse in a public loo that someone had forgotten in a stall.

Dawn quickly pocketed the cash and credit cards and gleefully headed up the high street to have her first decent meal in months. She used the credit cards to buy a new dress - a real maternity dress this time and comfortable shoes. She went to a spa and salon and allowed her benefactor, Sally Rand, to pamper her. Fresh wardrobe, fresh face, nicely done hair; things were finally looking up. She placed her hand on her distended belly and cooed "it's gonna be all right, all right."

She never saw the black hooded figures in the alley, never felt the stunning beam from the glowing tip of the wand. Just blackness before she woke naked in Hell.

It had been two weeks since her last encounter with Harry and Bellatrix was walking on eggshells. To say she was scared to death was a gross understatement; if she failed the Dark Lord in this her only hope would be that death would come quickly. She was due for her courses within a day or two and she felt as she often did just before her normal cycle. She didn't know what she feared more, being pregnant or not.

The other disturbing fact was that she just wasn't able to get into the proper spirit of the cruel depravity all around her. Normally the screams of a muggle would bring her running – to partake in the giving of pain and the taking of blood but now those sounds disturbed her and haunted her sleep.

Sleep. That was when she could revisit those three fateful evenings with him; especially the last night when he was able to respond to her in kind. Kind. He was, no, he IS kind. Kind and gentle and generous of spirit and why am I thinking these things? I am Bellatrix Lestrange, the right hand of the Dark Lord.

"Bellatrix" her husband called, then quailed at the deadly glare he received back. "The Dark Lord requires your presence."

She nodded then swept past him her black silk robes flowing like ebony gossamer. Finding Voldemort in the main chamber of the cavern on his throne of human bones she knelt before him; her head bowed.

"M'lord."

"What news Bellatrix?"

"Nothing to report m'lord it's still too early to say for sure."

"Have you cast a revealing charm?"

"Yes m'lord, the results were inconclusive. We will know for sure if we were unsuccessful by the end of the week."

"Let us hope that does not come to pass."

Saying that two death eaters removed the cover from their latest discovery; a medieval implement of torture roughly based on the crucifix. Two heavy beams, two meters in length were notched and fastened together forming a giant "X" which was hung from a frame so that the victim – a young naked muggle woman could be bound to the cruel instrument by wires at the ankles and wrists. The "X" tilted forward so that the woman was only supported by the cruel bonds at her extremities. This forced her back to bow in an unnatural "U" shape. Breathing was labored and excruciating. Her abdomen was forced forward by gravity making her pregnant belly hideously, unnaturally huge.

"Is she. . ."

"Yes, Bellatrix, she at least can conceive. Perhaps I should have spared her so that she and Potter could give me what I need most."

". . .my ba. .by. . ."

Bellatrix was struck to her core, what was she saying?

". . .my bay. . .bay. . .bay"

"Silence her" Voldemort ordered.

"M'lord, please let me."

Voldemort nodded.

Bellatrix took a long curved knife from the table and walked purposefully to the crucified woman. She grabbed a handful of hair and pulled the woman's face up – then put her cheek next to the woman's and whispered.

"For you there is no hope, but I will save the life of your child. You must be strong for the sake of your baby."

Bellatrix pulled the woman's head as far back as she could then sliced across her throat severing both jugular veins. Blood spurted over all who were assembled watching in morbid fascination. They all cringed back as they were spattered with the muggle's mud-blood.

The chamber cleared as the pureblood bigots went to clean their spattered robes; Voldemort went to his inner chambers chuckling.

As the light dimmed in Dawn Pennywhite's eyes she felt her pain ebb, she saw the concern and the tears in the eyes of her deliverer and her last thought was one of immense gratitude. Bellatrix performed the emergency c-section on what had been an expectant mother and pulled the newborn from the lifeless womb. She'd used the same curved blade to cut the umbilical cord. With a wave of her wand she transfigured the corpse into a crystal chalice.

She held the newborn, a boy, upside-down and jarred his lungs into action – the sound of the baby's cries were drowned out by the noise of the reductor curse that destroyed the apparatus that had made Dawn's last day on Earth a living agony. Bellatrix apparated away to London's Ludgate Hill; walked into St. Paul's Cathedral and left the naked, bloody newborn on the altar. Next to the alter she placed the beautiful goblet.

Gazing up at the mute icons on stained glass she said "take care of him," then disappeared with a loud crack.

Author's Note: In order for meat to be Kosher the animal must be killed painlessly. Rabbis are taught to kill with the single stroke of a knife to assure this.


	8. Chapter 7: Morning Sickness

Chapter 7 – Morning Sickness

There were only two people still fighting, not yet aware that Dumbledore had joined the mêlée. Harry was standing on the dais ostensibly so that he could watch Bellatrix from Sirius's point of view but half consciously hoping to keep his godfather from falling into the veil in the first place. They were both good fighters, Harry recognized many of the moves from the defense books Sirius had gifted him with the previous Christmas; he would rather duck a spell than shield it – why waste energy on a defensive spell when all you had to do was not be where the spell hit? Sirius ducked under his cousin's bright red beam, a stunner.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" the old marauder taunted, bouncing on the balls of his feet like a prize fighter.

From his vantage point Harry saw Bellatrix's eyes narrow, she pointed her wand at Sirius but fired another stunner just to his right, anticipating where he would jump next, she had a one in four chance of getting it right and this time, she did. Sirius dodged the point where he thought the spell would hit but in doing so had actually put himself directly in the line of fire.

Bellatrix looked triumphant as she had finally gotten Sirius to outsmart himself. His body arched backward flying up and back and through the veil.

Harry kept his eyes on her. He saw her victorious expression melt quickly to one of concern and then horror and finally anguish.

He lifted his head from the pensieve, slightly disoriented as his small conference room swam back into focus.

One fact was clear, Bellatrix had killed Sirius. Another fact was inescapable based on the pensieve evidence – the killing had been an accident. That didn't make her any less culpable in the eyes of the law, but she clearly did not want Sirius dead; hence the lack of truly deadly spells.

"Why am I even wasting my time on this?" he thought to himself, "why does it matter that she didn't mean to kill Sirius – she's a death eater, you have to have blood on your hands to take the bloody tattoo."

"You've killed; does that make you a death eater?" his inner devil's advocate posed.

"I killed Quirrell in self-defense."

"He's no less dead; you're still eligible for the tattoo."

"I'm letting my little head do all the thinking for my big one."

"Maybe, but you do miss her."

"Yes," he finally admitted to himself "yes, I do."

Harry shook his head, trying to clear his mind of any thoughts of dark eyes, black hair and the scent of sandalwood. He took several deep breaths, visualizing the air coming in through his nose then out through his mouth – the beginning of the occlumency techniques he had picked up from a book on mind magic courtesy of his bushy haired best friend. By the time he had cycled through several deep breaths he was able to concentrate on the week's training schedule.

The next morning Bellatrix became violently ill during late-morning tea, barely managing to make it away from the table before she spray painted the cavern wall with the remnants of breakfast left in her stomach. She stood straight not bothering to scourgify her sick, that's what house elves and menial servants are for, and went to find the revealing potion that she suspected she needed.

Harry had eaten a light breakfast; one that would not interfere with the morning's calisthenics and so was surprised when he came over all nauseous on the parade field. With very little warning he suddenly became so sick he lost his morning tea and toast. Shaking his head he used a light aguamenti spell to rinse out his mouth, then used a levitation charm to cover his episode with a little dirt and grass. By the time lunch rolled around he was famished. He ate a healthy lunch and was fine the rest of the day. Funny thing, he only got sick in the mornings. If he had been a girl he'd have had a reason to be worried.

Two days later when he lost his breakfast yet again he felt a tug on his elbow.

"C'mon Reppel" Marietta said in a slightly scolding tone "it's the infirmary f' you this time, you've been sick every morning this week."

"I'm sure its just nerves and I've only been honking brekkers. B'sides it's only been three times"

"Five."

"Really? Wait, how do you know that, does it go into your daily log? Brilliant, '20th of July, RPL Evans tosses biscuits on parade grounds,' must make for fascinating reading."

They both had a good laugh over that just as they were entering the infirmary.

"I half expect to see Madame Pomfrey here."

"You'd have to go a bit far to see Poppy, but will I do in a pinch?"

A middle aged man in lime green robes picked up a clipboard (apparently all places of healing require an endless supply of clipboards) along with a white wand and an oddly shaped crystal.

"I'm Healer Dumphrees and you are?"

Marietta quickly answered "Evans, Platoon Leader Evans, sir."

The healer looked at her wondering why the yeoman, he knew she was a yeoman based on the multi pocketed training robe she wore, was answering for his patient.

"Well Repple Evans, you do give the impression of being a bit peaked. Let's have a look shall we?"

"He keeps honking brekkers." Marietta volunteered.

"Hmmmm, all right then." The healer checked Harry's vitals, pulse temperature, magical aura and core; the usual medical procedures, then shook his head.

"Evans, it is Evans right?" Harry nodded. "Are you in a serious relationship? I mean are you betrothed?"

"I was raised as a muggle and I don't really know what it means to be trothed or betrothed, other than the obvious; that is, I'm not engaged to anyone."

"Are you in an intimate relationship with anyone?"

Marietta found the walls and ceiling to be particularly interesting.

"Can you be more clear, please?" Harry asked, a little exasperatedly.

"Are you shagging someone on a regular basis?"

Couldn't be more clear than that.

"No! I mean, no, not really. . ."

Now the healer looked quizzical "Can _you_ be more clear, please? I mean how can you be 'not really' shagging someone? It is a yes or no question actually."

"I'll just be outside" Marietta said as she bolted.

"Repple, please tell me you're not fraternizing with your yeoman."

"No! I mean really, no. I mean I've been having some really intense dreams lately, y'know, I think they're called 'lucid' or something like that and well I haven't ever really y'know, done it. . ."

"Well bugger all, that's a sickle from me then."

"How's that?"

"Oh, my staff, a nurse and a Healer apprentice and I all have to put a sickle in a jar when we miss-diagnose a patient. I was so sure you were showing sympathy symptoms I just assumed you had a snapper on the way, by way of a lady friend of course."

Harry thought he understood but looked quizzically at the healer.

"When two mages are expecting a little sprog the developing fetus forms a bond, a link between the parents so that, unlike our muggle cousins, both the expectants, mummy and daddy, experience the joys of pregnancy. You were showing all the symptoms of morning sickness but since you are still 'non-coitus' that can't be the case."

Harry felt as though ice water had been poured into his core. Somehow he sensed the truth of it. He wasn't existing as just himself any more, there was a someone, somewhere, out there.

Healer Dumphrees discerned Harry's state of shock and asked in a gentle tone "RPL Evans, are you sure you haven't been with someone?"

If there had been anything in his stomach he would have lost it just then.

Bellatrix strode into the throne chamber with confidence and kneeled before Voldemort.

"Success m'lord."

The Dark Lord stroked her dark hair and smiled, finally his plans seemed to be bearing fruit.

ooo000ooo

Author's Note: there is a very real, documented phenomena of sympathy symptoms in which the father enjoys morning sickness, cravings or aversions to particular foods and mercurial mood swings. Sometimes life gives us these satisfying little ironies.


	9. Chapter 8: The Infection

Chapter 8 – The Infection

"Healer Dumphries, is it possible for a wizard to dream something into reality? I mean, the dreams I had earlier this month felt absolutely real."

The healer's first impulse was to put Harry's mind at ease but a nagging suspicion was taking shape; if he was right there was more here than either he or his patient was ready for.

"Repple Evans," the healer said using Harry's auror recruit nom de guerre "there are no real consequences from a magical person's dreams."

Harry seemed to sigh in relief.

"Did you know that when a person sleeps, most of his body is paralyzed? The only things that normally move are the eyes; which is where we get the term 'rapid eye movement.' REM sleep means we are dreaming." Seeing Harry nod Hlr Dumphries continued, "With witches and wizards our magical cores are similarly locked, paralyzed as it were, to keep us from performing accidental magic while dreaming. A powerful sorcerer could cause unspeakable damage if his magic were released in response to a nightmare."

That was welcome news to Harry, he distinctly remembered not being able to move during his encounters with his dream lover; and he told the healer this.

"The fact that you remember the liaisons so vividly may just be because you haven't had dreams of the type before, and as you have little or no experience being intimate with anyone, the intense feelings experienced during the 'encounters' were burned into your conscious mind."

"Funny thing, though. . ."

"Yes?"

"That last night I could move. I could and did move around quite a bit. . ."

At this last bit Harry smiled nervously at the memories.

"That's very unusual, but not unheard of. Tell me, how are you feeling now?"

"I'm fine, just, when I think about it, I feel a bit of nausea, but then it passes and I'm fine again."

As Harry was describing his symptoms the healer drew three small potions bottles from a convenient cabinet.

"This one's for nausea" he said as he vigorously shook one bottle before handing it to Harry "tilt your head back and throw it to the back of your throat to avoid the taste."

Harry nodded and did as directed; he must have missed a little as he grimaced from the bitter suspension.

"See what happens when you don't follow your healer's directions?" He smirked, "now this one is a nutrient potion to carry you through lunch, don't worry, it tastes like a pudding."

Harry quickly complied smiling at the taste.

"And this one is just to put our minds as ease, it's a revealing potion and it will let us know if you have magically bonded to anyone in the past month or so."

"And what does this one taste like?"

"Like a bitter truth."

"Do all medicines have to taste like. . ."

"Careful, you don't want a self-fulfilling divination."

Harry nodded and this time managed to get the potion past the back of his tongue so that he couldn't taste it at all.

Healer Dumphries smiled in satisfaction and cleared Recruit Platoon Leader 'Evans' for duty.

"How long before the last one takes, and how will we know if I'm bonded to anyone?"

"You'll feel disoriented, followed by mild cramps and anxiety and a need to go to your bondmate."

"But I'm not, I mean I can't be, right?"

"Well if you don't have a mate, in the bonded sense, you'll probably start looking at your nice-looking yeoman in a slightly different light."

Harry looked puzzled.

"It'll act as a fairly strong aphrodisiac. Just remember to keep a safe distance from any of your female fellow recruits and you should be fine."

Harry groaned.

"Where to then Repple?" Marietta asked, meeting up with him as he left the infirmary.

"Cleared for duty so back to the training field, I want to see how the troops are doing with those combinations."

"Right" the yeoman agreed while pulling a small memorandum book and pencil from her robes.

Harry couldn't help but admire her efficiency, not on the same order as Hermione, but then again, who was? Very well-organized nonetheless, she always had that memo book with her and was constantly making entries – she had admitted to being somewhat disorganized in the past and she found she could use her memos to compensate. It was working spectacularly well and Harry quickly found his yeoman to be indispensable.

Maybe the last potion had kicked in but Harry was sure he hadn't noticed how attractive Marietta had become, he certainly hadn't noticed in school. Now though, she walked with confidence and self-assurance, not content to be in anyone's shadow. Two months of rigorous physical conditioning didn't hurt either; she could match him kilometer for kilometer during their morning 'stroll around the parade grounds,' and, Harry suspected, she could probably run him into the ground if it ever came to a test.

She wore her long, light brown hair in a ponytail or a plait tucked under her training robe or tied in a severe bun on the back of her head and her face had a fresh-scrubbed, healthy appearance all the time, even when their training included dust and grime and mud.

"I learned a face cleansing charm after, well, you know, the 'sneak' incident."

Harry told her not to worry about it, that no one held it against her anymore.

"Oh, Harry, you really don' get it, do you?"

She sighed at his puzzled expression.

"You have a rare gift; the gift o' forgiveness. When you forgive someone, no matter what it is they have done, they are truly in your eyes forgiven. You don' hold a grudge you don' bring up past transgressions and you don' fling old wrongs in people's faces."

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"Because people are small and weak and petty and holding on to past wrongs gives them a power o'er the offenders."

"Seems to me that would make for a right bitter outlook, always waiting to bring up some past wrong to what? Make a point? Win an argument? Sounds like the right way to lose a friend."

Marietta looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance "Harry, are we friends?"

Harry looked baffled by the question, "of course we're friends, you and me and Baxter and Smythe are all mates" he saw her bottom lip quiver, "all right Marietta?"

"If we weren't on the parade ground I'd kiss you right now. I'm giving you fair warning Repple; liberty weekend is coming up in three days and I'm going to take you out and prove to you how special you are."

Four weeks had passed and the embryo was now well and truly attached to its home for the next thirty two weeks; its very own uterine wall. Cells from both mother and embryo combined to form the proto umbilicus, the beginning of the physical connection between mother and developing child. The embryo was now a true fetus.

A faint fuchsia glow began to radiate outward from the cells that were forming the tiny spinal cord; this was the beginning of a magical core and it was the purest form of innocence, fundamentally incorruptible. As the glow began to permeate the mother's body the black magic that had been infecting her soul was forced back into the deepest recesses of her being.

Bellatrix awakened in horror. She didn't know where she was, she didn't know how she got there. She was in an awful place surrounded by monsters in human form and she frantically needed to escape. She was contaminated. She had a malady that could easily be lethal for her in her present environment.

Bellatrix Lestrange was infected with innocence.

ooo000ooo

Author's note: I appreciate the reviews, both encouraging and otherwise, and have used them to help morph the story line. I get a little carried away with the accents mostly because we live in a world rich with accents and colloquialisms. At the urgings of several readers I did tone them down a bit.

The title of this chapter "The Infection" is a double entendre, if you think about it a growing fetus is a developing parasitic 'infection' on the host body, the mother. In the strictest sense a pregnancy really is an example of parasitism.

The penname PerfesserN is not just a nome de plume. Care to guess what I am (or have been) a professor of?


	10. Chapter 9: Divorce, Deatheater Style

Chapter 9 – Divorce, Death Eater Style

Bellatrix Lestrange was infected with innocence.

She lay on the cold floor having fallen from her bed, curled into the fetal position, her body wracked with guilt and sorrow and revulsion as her own self-imposed Hell fell upon her. She knew every detail of every depraved and sadistic act she had committed or through her own inaction, allowed. The pain she had inflicted on countless others came back to her ten-fold. If it had been possible for her to die from remorse she would have perished before she had even hit the cobblestone floor. She didn't know how long she lay there but she finally cried herself out. She shivered as the cold floor leeched the warmth from her body.

"Better for all if I were just dead" she sobbed into her gown. As soon as the words left her lips she realized she couldn't, she would not be the cause of the death of another innocent, never again she vowed.

She nodded in satisfaction as a blue aura pulsed around her signifying the magical pact she had just made with herself was in full force. She uncurled and rose from the floor to stand tall; majestic in her flowing layers of black silk.

She was Bellatrix Black ne Lestrange if she had anything to say about it, the most feared death eater after the Dark Lord, an intimate of Voldemort himself. She would play the part until she could escape and bring the miracle within her to term. With this goal firmly in place she strode purposefully to the throne chamber.

Harry was having a very bad night; he was wracked with chills and a feeling akin to despair and grief. He was more accustomed to scar pain and invasive dreams or visions; this was more than a feeling but less than cogent thought. All things considered he'd rather have rational pain, thank you. Then, as suddenly as it had come on, this indefinable group of emotions flowed away; leaving him with a sense of vast resolve as if some momentous decision had been made. He had just settled back into his pillow when his yeoman called through the door, "wakey, wakey! C'mon Repple, you'll make us late f' brekkers!"

"Hmm up, I'm up!" he called back through the door stumbling to his tiny shower stall and WC.

He emerged five minutes later looking haggard and wet.

"Hold still" Marietta chuckled while straightening his collar and clasp then drying his short blond hair with warm air directed from her wand. "Can't have our glorious leader looking like an un-made bed now can we?"

Harry grunted his agreement then headed for the open mess his yeoman at his heels.

"Interestin' lesson plan f' t'day" Marietta observed, "who're you gonna pair up with?"

"Good question; Smythe is getting harder to surprise every day, I guess he wants to make sure no one else takes his job." Harry chided, knowing that Smythe had just rounded the building to join them at breakfast.

"Oi, Repple, if anyone wants my job they kin ave it, twice the work it is an' no rise in pay!"

"Oh, 'James' that reminds me." Marietta fished around her cloak for the right pocket and pulled out a parchment, "seems the ministry lost your paperwork from the induction center through your eighth week of training and you haven't been paid in all that time so. . ." with that she handed him an envelope "two months of back pay including a rise for assuming the awesome burden of command."

Harry groaned, then asked "is there enough there to sponsor a platoon party?"

Marietta looked thoughtful, "well, if we water down the firewhiskey that this would buy we could have the hall in Whitcombe for a party if y' want."

"Tell you what, hire the hall and see if you can book a band - and don't skimp on the refreshments, I'm going to see a goblin about a withdrawal."

There was barely a "pop" as he apparated away.

Half an hour later he entered the mess and made a quick sandwich from toast and bacon and said between bites. "I got 'Pumpkin Pie' for this Friday night and all the stout we could hope for as well as two cases of Ogden's finest. The Second Platoon will party this weekend."

Edgecombe and Smythe were gob-smacked. Pumpkin Pie was only the hottest rising act on the WWN.

"What? The goblins like me, all right?"

Training that day was unarmed combat. Harry needed to impress on the trainees that over dependence on wand craft could get them in trouble, and conversely, that knowing how to disarm your opponent without using magic could give you a tremendous tactical advantage.

Two trainees were told to watch for an attack from across the parade grounds and that they were to retreat into the tree line at the first sign of a magical attack. What they didn't expect was the sudden simultaneous attack from the trees themselves as Recruit Platoon Leader Evans and Master at Arms Smythe appeared as if by magic thanks to the muggle Ghillie suit camouflage. Both trainees were caught in classic full-nelson holds that cut off the flow of blood to the brain; they passed out within ten seconds. By the time they regained consciousness their own wands were pointed at them by what appeared to be two man sized bushes. After helping the troops to their feet 'Evans' and Smythe doffed their expertly camouflaged jackets.

"No magic was used in this attack, just plain old camouflage netting sewn into an old army fatigue uniform. The net allows us to attach leafy branches to the clothing that match the local bushes or trees perfectly. Magic can be detected fairly easily, and MaA Smythe or I could have been stopped if the trainees had just known how to repel a physical attack. That's what we're about today. All right then, pair up and prepare to face off."

The rest of the day was spent in unwanded and unarmed techniques against an armed or wanded advisary.

RSM Moody was in a very good mood, Harry's identity as RPL James Evans was solidly in place, his troops were getting real world training from someone who actually understood the threat, hell he half-expected to hear. . .

"Constant vigilance, I can't emphasize that enough!" RPL Evans was standing over the prone forms of two trainees who were not taking the lesson to heart. "There's a reason the enemy call themselves death eaters, they will kill you and not think twice about it, other than to kill your friends and family too given half a chance!"

"Shite Harry," the old Regimental Sergeant Major swore to himself, "I think you're just about ready."

"My Lord" Bellatrix bowed, then kneeled at the foot of Voldemort's throne.

"Speak, my faithful servant."

Bellatrix spoke in a whisper so that only the wizard on the throne could hear, she sounded out of breath and frightened. "My Lord, the magics of my betrothal to Rodolphus Lestrange are attacking 'our' child, if we don't find a way to protect it I will miscarry within the week."

"Lestrange!"

Rodolphus ran to the throne and prostrated himself next to his wife.

"You may stand Lestrange, Bellatrix you may join me here." Voldemort motioned to a short stool at his right side. She flowed to the seat and sat regally; her back ramrod straight.

"Lestrange, you have been a consistent servant for almost thirty years, not stellar in the performance of your duties but adequate. Your one shining accomplishment has been to marry this witch who now sits at my right hand and bring her into my service and for that you have my appreciation."

"Thank you my lord, thank -"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Bellatrix bowed her head as a dutiful wife should. Her magical vow had been that she would not allow an innocent to suffer. Well her late husband was no innocent, and he hadn't suffered.

"Consider yourself divorced, my dear."

Bellatrix nodded.

"My Lord, I should go into seclusion, somewhere safe away from the random and potentially dangerous magics of this assembly." She knew the most dangerous and random of magics came from the half-reptile sitting to her left.

"Well said, my faithful one. Do you have a destination in mind?"

"With your permission and approval m'lord, I could stay at Malfoy Manor or one of the Black properties."

"We will consider your plan, what say you young Malfoy?"

"My aunt is always welcome my lord." the youngest Malfoy drawled "I think, however that the known Malfoy and Black properties will be watched by the ministry."

Bellatrix and all the death eaters present knew that no place was safe for her. She would be betrayed or murdered if she moved anywhere out of Voldemort's direct control.

"We shall find a safe and suitable home for you my dear, and for our plan to come to fruition."

Bellatrix remained at the right hand of Voldemort for the remainder of the evening feared and envied by every death eater in the cavern. No one knew about the child growing in her womb save for her and the Dork Lord and himself.

"One moment," she mused to herself, "where on Earth did 'Dork Lord' come in?" Then another seemingly stray thought, 'Moldishorts' seemed to come out of the far recesses of her mind followed by 'Dark Tosser' and 'Dick Lard.' She set her occlumency shields in place so quickly she gave herself a headache.

Late in the evening while Voldemort was extolling the virtues of pure blood supremacy and his own infallibility; he suddenly caught the recently widowed Mrs. Lestrange in his reptilian gaze.

"What do you know of immortality, or the elusive surety for it?"

"You have told us, my lord, that you have gone farther than any man down the road that leads to immortality."

His reddened eyes opened in surprise as he knew that she knew the truth of what he said. Bellatrix's eyes also opened in shock, but for a completely different reason. The lightning bolt scar formed a link between Voldemort and Potter. The developing fetus formed a link between Harry and Bellatrix. When the Dark Lord heard her repeat his oft repeated words his mind instantly cataloged all the locations of the guarantors of his continued existence, his horcruxes, and that information passed through Harry into Bellatrix in the amount of time that Voldemort took to have the thought.

In that moment Bellatrix realized that if she had the will then she had the means to destroy Voldemort forever.

ooo000ooo

Now there's a useful bit of information, too bad Harry can't see it directly, but then the story would be about two pages long. A camouflage expert in a Ghillei suit is virtually invisible, you could walk right by them and never see them. Soldiers in elite sniper units usually construct their own suits stitching burlap or Hessian to fatigues, these are stained and then fitted with local vegetation like leaves, small branches or vines and sometimes grasses.


	11. Chapter 10: Coming Together

Chapter 10 – Coming Together

The town of Whitcombe was a small fishing village with six pubs, residents often called Whitcombe a "Quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem." It was, however, a great place to get away for a few hours on a liberty weekend with the fellow recruits or, if you were a staffer, fellow staff members of your choice. Staff did not fraternize with the recruits and visa versa. Some rule bending was allowed, if a platoon happened to be having a party and some of the staff just happened to be in town it was perfectly acceptable to be seen tipping a few back with the trainees. So it was that Regimental Sergeant Major Moody was seen in his cups with Recruit Platoon Leader Evans and a few of the Recruit Squad Leaders as well as various and sundry other notables.

If members of other platoons wanted to stop in, that was all right too, provided they behaved themselves. Of course, given a few shots of Ogden's finest, behaving one's self was a relative term.

Christina Prince, the RPL of A-9-1, First Platoon had heard quite enough thank you about the stellar performance of Second Platoon and she, all seventy five inches and thirteen stone of her, wanted to see what made the RPL of A-9-2 such hot shite. First impression, he looked like a kid.

"Hey Repple, d'ye even shave yet?" she asked belligerently.

"Once a month, whether I need to or not Repple!" Harry (James Evans) replied in good nature. The raucous laughter caught the RPL of First Platoon exactly wrong.

"D'ye think yer funny recruit?" she fumed.

"Only when I dance Repple!" he rejoined.

More laughter and again Prince took it as a personal affront.

"Wanna dance w' me, pretty boy?" at this point she was in his face and the room got very quiet. Low murmuring started near the two platoon leaders and a circle formed; a fighting circle.

One of the staff members in attendance stepped up but was stopped by Moody who whispered in a hoarse voice. "Let em' be."

"But she'll mop the floor with him; look at the size of her."

"I'll make ye' a wager, not only will she not lay a hex or a hand on him, they'll be best mates by the end of the evening."

"I've got a bottle of 20 year old Scotch says you're wrong. What d'you got?"

Moody looked at his bottle and said, "it's green. . ."

RPL Evans looked at Prince, pissed as she was she could hurt him if she could lay a hand or a wand on him, he called out "Yeoman!"

Edgecombe slid over and said "Sah?"

"Be so kind as to take my cloak and my wand?"

"Sah!" she replied taking the proffered items.

Christina Prince looked at 'Evans' and asked "what d'ye think yer playin' at?"

"Not a thing Repple, I just want to be able to move when we dance."

She ogled him for a moment and said "Bullocks on you!" and pulled her wand. As she did this Harry stepped into her reach and deftly plucked the wand out of her hand then handed it to Marietta as well.

"Hey, gimme my wand back you!"

"You won't need it, we're dancing, remember?"

Repple Prince never quite figured out exactly what happened next, but some of her mates told her after she'd had a sobering draught that she had cocked her right fist back to try and 'bash im' a good un' then let her fist fly straight for his head. Evans had grabbed her right fist in his left hand and used her momentum to spin her around twice before capturing her in a hold that was part tango and part professional wrestling. Everyone saw him lean forward and say something so that only Christina could hear and the band, as if on cue began an upbeat Latin salsa rhythm and the two would-be combatants started dancing. When the Latin song ended a slow ballad drew the dancers close. When the ballad ended Christina kissed Harry in such a way that he was pretty sure she could describe the size, shape taste and texture of his tonsils. The fighting circle had broken into couples as soon as the 'top couple' started dancing and a great time was had by all.

Later, after First Platoon's people led a dazed RPL Prince off the dance floor, Christina dropped her face into her hands and said "oh shite oh shite oh shite; I remember now, he spun me around like a toy then locked both my arms behind me then leaned toward me and those eyes, those deep green glowing eyes, they just held me fast. He said 'do you really want to do this?' and I realized what an absolute twat I was being and I said not really and we started t' dance."

Moody went home with a bottle of 20 year old Scotch that night; he gave the staffer his bottle of what ever it was (it twas' green) because he said it wasn't very sporting of him to bet on his Repple.

On towards eleven Marietta finally cornered Harry. "Having a good time?" he asked.

"It could be better," she offered her hand and he laughed and took it and her to the dance floor. She monopolized his dance card for the rest of the night. He offered to walk her to her quarters and she countered; offering to escort him to his own. As soon as Harry closed the door behind them Marietta launched herself at him and kissed him with all the passion she had bottled up for the past two years.

Bellatrix woke just after midnight to a familiar warmth in her loins, and realized what Harry was about to do. On the one hand she had mixed feelings about what was probably going to happen but on the other hand she was a grown woman with many liaisons in her past and he was just beginning to know intimacy. She felt the best way to proceed would be to coax him along, to give him the guidance that would make him a god in the bedroom.

Marietta had only had one boyfriend before and he had been a clumsy selfish adolescent as they 'wrestled' in the back of a thestral's carriage. That Hufflepuff git had abandoned her along with everyone else after her sixth year. Tonight she was nervous as a virgin bride but she was also determined to make Harry's night special.

Guided by instinct and his as yet unrealized link with Bellatrix Harry was gentle and patient and completely attentive. This evening was going to be for her pleasure; however little or much she wanted. Slowly kissing and stoking down Marietta's throat he unclasped her robe and let it fall to the floor. She stepped forward away from the discarded cloak leaving her shoes behind as well. His deep green eyes sought permission, and getting it, he unbuttoned her blouse from the bottom up so he could trace his finger tips up her flat belly to the soft yet firm curve in the sheer bra that both hid and enhanced her breasts. When Harry began to kiss and taste every exposed part of her Marietta realized that this is how intimacy is supposed to be, and this boy, no, this man who was younger than she was proving himself to be far older in the ways of physical love.

He never initiated anything without first checking with her. After realizing that there was nothing - and she knew to her amazement and delight she meant nothing - she would not beg him to do on his own. She told him, "whatever you want of me is yours Harry, whatever and however for as long as you'll have me."

She couldn't remember at what point he had managed to coax her out of her tight black jeans and into his bed but she remembered his tongue and his fingers driving her over the edge in ways that she only imagined possible. It was as though Harry knew, just _knew_ how to touch a woman. When he finally entered her it was as though they were two incomplete souls who had been searching for each other forever and were finally completed; re-united by passion.

Bellatrix rode her own fingers to completion in synch with Harry and Marietta several times that night and prayed to God and the Goddess that they could, in some way, all be together one day.

ooo000ooo

I've often remarked that aurors and Death Eaters alike rely too much on magic and potions; I wanted to see at least one group trained in unarmed combat. I know Black Hat Weatherford back at Infantry AIT would agree with me whole heartedly. Sad but true story, I never needed to use my hand-to-hand combat training until I taught in a high school. Haven't needed it since I started teaching college. . .


	12. Chapter 11: The Morning After

Chapter 11 – The Morning After

Roger Nelson ran the green grocer's shop in Hogsmeade, it wasn't a large business, but the demand for fresh produce from the village and the nearby school kept him busy year round. His wife, Ruth did the magic with the accounts and his thirteen year old daughter Jenny and nine year old Kyle helped where and when they could. He had just returned from a successful buying trip in the closest muggle town when he saw a young man in a dark cloak waiting by the cash register. When the pale haired boy with the pinched face drawled that his business needed protection from those who would harm it and its employees Robert had, at first laughed. Then when he realized that this punk was some kind of a junior death eater he got angry and threw the snarling pup out the door. The next morning he woke to find himself, his wife and son and daughter bound to stone pillars in a huge cavern facing a throne made of human bones.

Morning broke late that Saturday and Harry couldn't help but notice that for the first time in his life he was not waking up alone. He liked that part. Part of him liked that immensely. Wonderful word, 'immense,' that was how Marietta had described him, "bigger than life," she had said before snuggling in for a long morning's nap.

He wanted to kiss her and nuzzle her and wake her in the best way possible when the little voice in his head said 'loo.' He got up carefully so as not to disturb 'Marie' and relieved himself. While he was in the little room he thought that it would good if he brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash then whisked the morning stubble off his chin with his wand.

He carefully crawled back into bed and spooned against his lover's back, she cooed and snuggled her shapely bum against him in such a way that she could not help but notice that he was awake and ready to continue from where they left off the night before, or rather earlier that morning.

"Hmmm, shaved."

She kissed him deeply, "no morning breath."

Rolling onto her back she held his head in both her hands and asked, "all right, who's she?"

"Who's who?"

"The woman, it as' t' be a woman, who is coaching you on how t' be the perfect lover."

"Um, that would be Marietta Edgecombe?"

"Nice try, but I'm not goin' for it."

Harry stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and looked at her with eyes as deep as wells.

"Marie, you are the first woman I've ever made love to and the first I've ever spent the night with. This I vo-" Marietta stopped him form performing a magical vow by kissing him deeply.

"If what you say is true, then you are a natural amoureux."

"Is that like a 'man-slag' thing?"

"Well," she said with an evil smirk, "it could be, but I think in your case I'm just going t' keep you in an ivory tower and keep you t' meself!"

"Then I'll grow my hair really long and change my name to Rapunzel."

They both laughed at this and kissed tenderly, without the urgency of the previous encounters. As Harry started kissing the juncture of her neck and shoulder Marietta pulled away and said, "oh no you don't, you got up and 'freshened up' for me now I have to do the same, b'sides, I think I'm sloshing from all our 'activities' earlier this morning."

As she padded off to the loo Harry admired her upside-down heart shaped derriere. He hopped out of bed, cast a scourgify and drying charm on the sheets, made up the bed, pulling one side of the sheet and comforter then conjuring a rose to place on the pillow. A scented votive candle completed the picture. He then joined Marietta in the tiny shower where they proved that two could shower as cheaply as one as long as the two were very, very close.

Harry left Marietta in the tiny shower after a long wet snogging session so that she could wash her hair; he was waiting for her wearing a deep green towel wrapped around his waist holding out a large, soft, fluffy towel of the same color that he used to embrace her as she exited the stall.

"Oh Harry, if word gets around about how attentive you are, in and out of bed, I'm going to have to invest in a beater's bat."

"To keep me in line?"

"No luv, t'keep the others away from me man!"

"Oh so you're claiming me then?"

"Well, if it's all right, that is. . ."

Harry spun her around and kissed her completely.

"No one has ever wanted me or made me feel as beloved as you do right now Marie; of course you have a claim on me, for as long as you'll have me."

With a look of almost grim determination Marietta pulled Harry into the bedroom and stopped.

"D' you have a house elf here?"

"No."

"Then the clean sheets, the rose an' the candle?"

"All my work, I wanted to try to show how I feel about you, about us really."

With a husky "c'mere you" Marietta loosened Harry's terrycloth skirt and used the ends to pull him to herself. As they kissed his magic fingers loosened the towel to release her from her terrycloth wrap and they came together for the first of many times that day.

Bellatrix smiled, she knew her suggestions would cement Harry's reputation as a consummate and accomplished lover and that was a good thing for a young man to enjoy. Goddess knows she could count the number of really good lovers on the fingers of one hand, of course, Harry was one of those.

Her musings were interrupted by an anguished shriek coming from the throne chamber. Oh Hecate, did those animals never get their fill of rape and murder? She hurried to the chamber to see if she could forestall the 'revelry' and perhaps affect an escape for herself and the latest victims.

As she entered the chamber her heart sank, a family of four was bound to the limestone columns that supported the cavern's ceiling: husband, wife a young teenage daughter and a school age son, maybe eight or nine. Bellatrix registered that these were the Nelsons, and that Jenny was a rising third year Ravenclaw. That information must have come from her link with Harry. She shuddered to think of all the uses that the children were about to be put to while the parents could only watch in anguish and despair.

As the death eaters began to assemble Bellatrix devised a plan, it was risky but it was the best she could do on a moments notice. She wrote a quick note on a piece of parchment, then put a 'portus' spell on one of her jade bracelets. Wrapping the bracelet in the parchment she slinked over to the parents, both of whom cringed at her approach.

"You know who I am?"

They both nodded, from her reputation they both knew there was no mercy to be found here. Bellatrix took comfort in the confirmation that they were a wizarding family and would know about portkeys.

She vamped over to the husband, Roger, and placed both hands on his chest before leaning forward to place her cheek on his.

"I am not who they think I am" she whispered to him, "do not give me away and I can help you."

Roger looked shocked, which was what Bellatrix was hoping for.

She moved over to the wife. The two women looked into each other's eyes and Ruth Nelson saw compassion in the eyes of her captor. Bellatrix caressed the woman's cheek and continued down her arm and side and palmed the parchment and bracelet into the back of the woman's trousers.

Bellatrix then glided over to the two children and told them softly that if they loved their mum and dad they would do exactly what they told them to.

She then went to the throne and knelt before Voldemort.

"My lord?"

"Yes Bellatrix?"

"I do not wish to deprive your followers of their revelry but an accidental discharge of magic could ruin our 'developing' plan."

"Do you wish to leave?"

"No m'lord, but if the 'entertainment' could take place in the lower chambers, perhaps you could make some sport; a hunt in the caverns below? Some of our new associates haven't yet proven themselves in battle. You could even allow the quarry their wands? Or not, it will be, of course, as you command."

Bellatrix knew that Voldemort would like this idea. No one could escape from his stronghold and even if anyone in the family eluded capture, they would inevitably capture at least one of them and as the tortures began the others would beg to be allowed to take the captives place. People who loved others were stupid that way.

"It will be as you say my faithful one, Malfoy," he called out "take the prisoners below, take their wands with you and await my orders."

Draco bowed and moved to the prisoners. He released the ropes binding them to the columns but left their hand tied behind them as he led the family of four to their execution grounds.

"With your permission, m'lord," Bellatrix waited for his snakeyness to nod and then withdrew.

Rather than turn right into her chambers she went straight into the corridor leading to the lower caverns. When she arrived she saw a rather one sided scuffle as all four Nelsons were kicking the already unconscious prone form of Draco Malfoy.

Bellatrix stifled a laugh. This was too priceless.

"Let me guess," Bellatrix smirked and the four Nelsons were frozen in fear of her, "my nephew probably got a little too familiar with, Jenny is it, and got his bullocks handed to him, am I right?"

The Nelsons didn't know whether to flee or to fight. Bellatrix sighed, and placed her wand on the floor beside her, then walked up to the group and kicked Draco in the head for good measure.

"If you'll just turn around then I can get you free, it would be easier with my wand but you don't seem sanguine with the idea of me having one."

With some difficulty she undid the knot on Roger's wrists first. As soon as he was free he snatched his own wand from the floor where Draco had dropped it and pointed it at Bellatrix.

"I think you would be better off using that thing to free your family, don't you?"

Never taking his eyes off Bellatrix he moved over to his wife and loosened her bonds, Ruth Nelson picked up her wand but didn't point it at Bellatrix.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Because I'm not who the death nibblers think I am. Now where's the parchment I gave you?"

Ruth reached into her trousers and pulled out the parchment and bracelet.

The note read "_Portkey to Diagon Alley go to white stalagmite, all four touch and go_."

"I know it's not very eloquent, but I only had a few seconds to write it and make the portkey. There are anti apparition and anti portkey wards all over this place, but for some reason they don't work around that particular stalagmite for about an arm's length around."

"Why should we believe you?" Roger growled.

"Look, you have your wands you are free to go, you can either go back through the throne room or you can go straight to the Alley; your choice, goodbye." With that Bellatrix turned around and started to leave.

"Wait," Kyle asked "can't you come with us?"

"I'd like nothing better, but if I show up in the middle of Diagon Alley they will hex first and ask questions later, no I have to have somewhere else to go first, but not to worry, I'm not long for this place that's for certain. Now go, quickly!"

As Bellatrix hurried back to her quarters she heard the whirlwind sound of a portkey being activated.


	13. Chapter 12: I'm What?

Chapter 12 – "I'm What?"

"Remember 'James,' we're still auror candidates and not at Hogwarts anymore. Our behavior in public mustn't hint at any kind of relationship or we're both drummed out of the Auror Corps; all right?"

Harry nodded in understanding, but he had a real honest to goodness girlfriend and he wanted to shout it from the mountaintop.

"An' get rid of that ridiculous smirk when you're round' me, it's a dead giveaway!"

"Smirk?" he asked, and then repeated "smirk? Don't you mean the glow of a new and brilliant relationship?"

"Oh Goddess, this isn't going t' work. . ."

"Easy yeoman," he fell into his 'instructor mode' without missing a beat, "they may have missed us at breakfast, and lunch, but we can make tea if we double time it to the open mess."

"Perfect" she said, her relief obvious "Repple Evans, if you please?"

"Of course, yeoman; just one thing if I may?"

"Sah?"

"Respectfully request a quick feel and a snog before we go?"

Marietta groaned, "No! Tea first, then play! Move ya great lummox!"

Harry sighed "and so it begins, the honeymoon's over before it begins, now she's ordering me around. Half a mo' I thought I was the ranking officer here?"

She kissed his cheek and said "of course, dear. Move along now."

They had sandwiches and tea at their normal table, they didn't sit any closer, and they didn't to their knowledge act any different toward each other so why did it seem that the entire platoon was smirking at them as they enjoyed tea and company?

"Are we wearing signs or something?" Harry whispered across the table.

"No, but folks seem t' know." She murmured back.

"Are there any other 'couples' that you know of?"

"Smythe and Prince" she smirked.

"No! Actually?" Then he remembered their dance the night before and the deep kissing at the end. "Is there going to be a problem there?"

"Nah' really, they're in what y' call an 'open' relationship. Which means either or both of them will happily shag whoever pleases them; whenever they please."

"Ah, fear of commitment," at her puzzled expression Harry asked "what, never read Cosmo? Who else's involved?"

"Well there's Harcourt, Brace, and some rumor about Jovanovich making a threesome."

"Two blokes and a bird, interesting dynamic."

Just then Harry doubled over and grimaced, "Uhgh, what's in these sandwiches?"

"A bad cucumber wouldn't hit you that soon, c'mon Repple, back to the infirmary with you."

"Wait, I'm fine I'm. . ." he didn't finish because he doubled over again.

"Oh yeah, you're fine all right, lets go."

They walked, well, she walked and he stooped to the infirmary only to be met by Healer Dumphries.

"No, no. This won't do at all. Malingerers only get ill on working days, if you're going to see me on a liberty weekend you must really be feeling poorly."

"Cramps" was all Harry could get out.

"Feeling the need to go anywhere Evans?" the healer asked concerned.

"No" Harry groaned

"Well, that's odd" the healer said as he passed a clear glowing crystal over Harry's aura. The crystal hummed and a mist coalesced into the form of a vaporous rabbit. The spectral rabbit looked slightly angry at Harry, and then began to dissipate. "That's a positive then?" The rabbit looked exasperated and nodded before completely disintegrating.

"What?" Harry and Marietta asked simultaneously.

"Well it took longer than usual for the results to come in and all the symptoms are not showing but there's no mistaking this reading." He helped Harry to sit on the edge of the diagnostic bed. "Repple, it looks like I get my sickle back. The rabbit test is irrefutable. And in your case, the rabbit died."

"What does that mean, what are you not telling me?"

"I'm sorry, I thought even muggles knew about the rabbit test, when we say 'the rabbit died' it means that you are definitely pregnant."

Marietta sat down hard. "but he, but we; hey, just a tick its too soon anyway we just. . ."

"Something you need to tell me yeoman?"

"Harry, how could you!"

"Harry? Who's Harry?"

"No one, f'get it it's just a nickname. Answer the question you!"

Just then Moody burst through the door and demanded "I got a code yellow on the secrecy detector, what happened?"

"I happened; Sergeant Major," Marietta confessed, "I called him Harry."

Healer Dumphries had a keen discerning mind, he also knew that the Regimental Sergeant Major had a history with a rather famous 'Harry' and he put it all together in about half a second.

"Mr. Potter, I presume?" the healer asked.

"Your choice Healer Dumphries," growled Moody, "obliviation or General Order number three."

"Actually RSM, you'll find that healer/patient confidentiality overrules your general order and unless I'm convicted of a crime you are expressly forbidden to obliviate me as you might accidentally destroy years of medical knowledge and experience."

"Harry, who's the mother?" Marietta asked in a too calm voice.

"No idea."

"You mean you've been shagging so many bints that you can't narrow it down to just one?" too calm climbed to too loud in less than a second.

"I haven't been shagging anyone, I mean, that is until. . ."

"I don't want ta' hear it, you told me I was special, you told me I made you feel special, it's all a line innit? I shoulda' left you on the dance floor with Prince, you two coulda' worn each other out an' woulda' had a good laugh 'bout it in the morning, but nooo, you had t' put your moves on poor ol' pathetic Marietta, the social leper!" Tears were streaming down both cheeks as she turned her back on Harry, "What am I, just another notch in your wand?" She emptied all the pockets of her trainee's robes and threw the books, parchments and quills on the floor before storming away. Just before she slammed the door she shouted "you kin get y'self another yeoman Evans, I'm sacked!"

Bellatrix could hear Draco Malfoy scream as Voldemort and his deprived death eaters took turns practicing the cruciatus. As much as she hated all the Malfoys, save one, her sister Narcissa she couldn't bear to hear the little weasel scream much longer. Much longer and Draco would be little more than the walking vegetables that were the Longbottoms. She buried her head in her pillow and sobbed, reliving the day she had gleefully reduced the young couple, obviously in love, with a tiny baby to support, to a drooling mass of flesh that only superficially resembled the people, the parents, the friends, the lovers they once were. "I swear, young Neville, I will find some way to make it up to you. And all those whose lives I have destroyed in the service of that reptile!"

The curses stopped. The screaming stopped. Was it over, was he dead or worse?

"Bellatrix," someone called from the door, Avery or Nott or some other sycophant.

"I'll be just a moment."

Bellatrix Black stood tall and proud and composed herself. A quick cleansing charm to restore her face and she strode, head high, shoulders back into the throne chamber.

Draco was standing next to his father, his eyes darting back and forth, flinching at the sounds of Bellatrix's footsteps.

"Ah, Bellatrix" the snake man greeted her.

"Young Draco has found the most interesting missive, show her Draco, it's all right Draco, you can show her."

Her nephew regained some of his composure, but retained the nervous tick, as he stumbled over to her and held out a torn piece of parchment. On it in her own handwriting were the words: "_Portkey to Diagon Alley go to white. . ."_


	14. Chapter 13: I Was What?

Chapter 13 – "I Was What?"

Harry and Healer Dumphries and RSM Moody sat stunned in the silence that followed the echoing slam of Marietta's exit.

She is special, she makes me feel like I can do what I have to. I don't think I can do this without her. I've got to find a way to fix this. How can I fix this?

"Harry?" Healer Dumphries had asked a question.

"I'm sorry, what again?"

"Harry, I know young men are often embarrassed to talk about their intimacies, but we really do need to know who the mother of your child is. Is it Yeoman Edgecombe?"

"Not unless you can get preggers in less than twelve hours, and don't all the female recruits take a potion or some such?"

"Yes, there is a long term contraceptive potion that lasts for the three months of basic auror training, but potions have been known to fail."

"Has it happened often?"

"No."

"Has it happened at all?"

"Not yet that we know of."

"It's not Marietta."

"Who then?"

"My dream girl, no, my dream woman."

"How's that?"

"Remember the dreams I told you about? There must have been someone, someone real."

"Any ideas?"

Harry put his face in his hands, "oh yes. . ."

"Who Harry?"

"I think its Bellatrix Lestrange."

The healer and the Regimental Sergeant Major both sat down on hearing that bit of news.

"How can I prove it?"

"You have the link."

"What link?"

"Your baby combines the both of you, you can feel what she feels and vice versa. You can also use the link to find her as what you're really finding is the child."

"Doc, how does this happen?"

"Sorry Harry, I forget you've spent most of your life as a muggle, I'm not a doctor, I'm a healer, and somehow 'Heal' doesn't have the same feel to it."

"Sorry Healer Dumphries."

"To answer your question 'it' happens the old fashioned way. Sperm meets egg, egg and sperm combine and nine months later viola, a brand new human."

"Could she have been artificially inseminated?"

"As I understand the practice you would have had to masturbate into a container and then the semen would have been injected into the one hoping to be the mother?"

"Kinda like that, yes."

"Harry, have you wanked into a cup lately?"

"Um, no."

"Either you went to her, not bloody likely in any event, or she came to you; which is more likely."

"I knew those dreams were too real to be just dreams."

"Weren't there wards around your house?"

"Several; and some were blood protection wards."

"They got by them somehow."

"If the wards were so easy to bypass, why didn't they just kill me in my sleep, you know they just want me dead, right?"

Moody began to chuckle, "S' thas' how they did it, too bloody clever if y' ask me."

Harry and the healer stared at Moody.

"Don' cha see?"

Harry shook his head but Hlr. Dumphries began to nod his.

"Of course," the healer started, "if no one magical could get through then Dumbledore or any other witch or wizard coming to call would have been repelled"

"Would one of you please explain it to the muggle raised one please?"

"The wording is everything; no one magical planning to harm you could get near the place, but they didn't mean you harm, so they just bloody walked in through the front door while everyone was asleep, including you."

"Harry," the healer placed a hand on his shoulder, "you were raped."

Harry was startled at the use of the word.

"You had non-consensual sex Harry, by definition you were raped."

"Didn't feel like what I would consider rape."

"Nonetheless, it's yet another crime to add to the long file of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"If that's true wouldn't it constitute 'harm' in the legal sense?"

"In the legal sense, yes, but remember magic is all about intent, she didn't _intend_ harm. In many pureblood societies an older, experienced woman often initiates a young adolescent into the ways of intimacy, that way when his wedding night rolls around he won't be a fumbling incompetent. In the sense that she saw herself as your initiator she would see the act as a great service. It's a very old custom."

"Healer," Harry asked in a nervous voice, "why would she want to have sex with me?"

"I should think that was obvious, Harry, she wanted your baby. And now, it seems, she's got it."

"And why would she want my baby?"

"Lad," Moody started, "if Voldemort wants a child of yours there canna' be anything good about it."

Bellatrix held the scrap of parchment and knew her very life depended on her next words,

"Why were you in my rooms, nephew?" she demanded.

Draco looked confused, well, long term cruciatus exposure will do that.

"This was torn out of my journal, the part where I was investigating the wards around our base of operations here; I can show you my lord, where this came from if _Draco_ hasn't taken that too."

Draco looked panicked, "no, it was, it was on the floor, on the floor of the cave, it was by the salt, the salt. . ."

"Draco," Bellatrix cooed, causing him to cringe even more, "tell the truth, it was on the floor because that's were it landed when you tore it from my journal. Isn't that right?"

"No, no, not on the floor, no, no, not on the book, not in the book, on the, on the floor, in there!" he screamed the last two words pointing in the direction of the corridor leading to the lower caverns. Unfortunately for him he was also pointing in the direction of Bellatrix's rooms.

"You see my lord; he is confused. Perhaps one or more of your followers was a little too enthusiastic while disciplining young Malfoy?"

"Perhaps" Voldemort seemed to be in agreement, "but I must ask you not to leave your rooms until all this is sorted out."

Bellatrix bowed, "as you say, my lord" then glided back toward her chambers.

Harry paced like a jungle cat in a zoo cage, "I have to find her, she's got something of mine and she can't have it."

"So you're going t' storm Voldemort's HQ and kidnap his most feared lieutenant then keep her in a cozy cell for nine months. ."

"More like eight months" the healer interjected.

". . . eight months until the baby is born and what, fight her for it. Harry, that baby is half Bellatrix Lestrange, are y' sure you can handle all the baggage involved here?"

"First, it's not baggage, it's a baby, second it's not his. . ." he looked at the healer questioningly.

"Too early to say."

". . . or her fault who his or her parents are, and third I want the next generation of Potters to grow up knowing they're loved and cherished, not. ." tears filled both eyes and obscured his vision as he sat heavily on one of the beds so that he didn't see the infirmary door open and close silently.

". . . not locked away in tiny cupboards not despised and neglected. D y'know what's worse than being hated? It's being _ignored_! At least hate is a feeling!" He was crying unabashedly now, "I will not let my baby be, not let, not be treated like, like. . ."

"Like you were Harry?" Marietta said from the open door.

"Marie?" he hiccupped and looked up.

"I dropped my memorandum book so I was going t' wait til you all left and get it back, but no one left and I was standin' outside the door all this time and I heard everything and oh Harry I'm so sorry! I was as bad as the rest of em' jumping t' conclusions w'out knowin all the facts and you must hate me f'-"

Harry never knew what he was supposed to hate her for because he leapt to his feet and hugged her like a drowning man embraces a life preserver.

"You said it y' self lass," Moody chuckled, "Harry forgives, even when we don' forgive ourselves."


	15. Chapter 14: A Matter of Trust

Chapter 14 – A Matter of Trust

Healer Dumphries was trying hard to ignore the two auror trainees clinging to each other in the middle of his infirmary, in blatant disregard of regulations. It didn't help that they had the tacit approval of the Regimental Sergeant Major as he sat in the same room smiling at the sight.

"Right," Moody said as Harry and Marietta finally broke the embrace, "now in addition t' all our other duties we have to come up with a plan to rescue our platoon leader's sprog."

"Um, Repple?"

"Uh, yes Trainee?"

"I sorta got sacked earlier and wondered if the position of Yeoman hasn't been filled yet?"

Harry chuckled, "Well let me see," he looked around theatrically, "y' see any qualified volunteers?"

She started to raise her hand to do just that when Harry said, "before you jump up you should know that it's long hours of tedious work with a real git of a platoon leader who will expect you to keep him apprised of everything of significance going on around the platoon, and it turns out he's an expectant father which means mood swings and maybe some other symptoms best not discussed here."

"And before you decide to accept me as your yeoman you should know that I will never again turn my back on you no matter what. If you are butt starkers in a hot-tub full of Veela I will know there's a damn good reason. I will never doubt you again, this I vo-"

As she had earlier, he stopped her from making a magical vow by pressing his lips to hers.

"Repple?" Moody asked.

"Sah?"

"You have a full day and a half of liberty left, why are you still here?"

"Sah, no excuse sah!"

"Well then, with the healer's permission?"

Healer Dumphries nodded.

"You are dismissed."

Both Harry and Marietta stood straight and tall and chorused "sah, yes sah!"

Then bolted out the door jogging in the general direction of the Repple flat.

Bellatrix was in a near panic, she was very close to losing it all. If 'snake-lips' ever actually thought she could betray him the best she might hope for was a quick avada kedavra. Where could she go? Nowhere was really safe for a death eater, they could always be tracked by their dark mark. Magic follows the laws of physics she mused, hmm, must be Harry again. All right professor, please explain. The link that allowed her to retrieve all the information Harry had ever been exposed to gave her a quick lesson in muggle science. There is a law, the law of inverse squares that basically says as the distance from a radiated energy source increases linearly the amount of energy decreases exponentially. Simply stated, if you're five meters from a light the light will only be one twenty-fifth as bright. If you're twenty meters from the light it'll seem only one four-hundredth as bright.

"And if I'm in Canada, or better yet Australia or New Zealand then the Dark Tosser's best efforts will amount to a mild itch."

She thanked Harry the best way she knew how; she pushed her extensive catalogue of knowledge and experience of what a woman really wants in a lover into his subconscious.

In the Repple flat Harry had transfigured his conference table into a large wooden tub and charmed the water to warm and massage its two occupants so they could relax and refresh following their exertions that afternoon.

"So that's make-up sex?" Marietta sighed as the warm water soothed her tender flesh and muscles and bones. "I think you've killed me Potter; but what a way to go. . ."

"We'll have to schedule four or five arguments a day if that's the case. . ."

Her eyes grew large as saucers and she said in a small voice, "Oh help!"

Harry slid over to embrace her but she kept him at arm's length, gliding away every time he tried to draw nearer.

"Give it a rest Luv; I'm not a machine y'know." She said in mock exasperation.

"I can't help it; you inspire me! I want to do so many wonderful things with you."

"Write them out in a memorandum and submit it for my approval."

Harry groaned, trying unsuccessfully yet again to sidle up to his reluctant quarry.

"Bullocks, y' can't corner a bird in a round tub. Memo to me, square tub; next time a square tub!"

Marietta smiled at his mock exasperation then thought, 'why not?' then stood in the waist deep water, turned around and fell back onto Harry's lap.

"Take me then, I'm yours." She sighed dramatically.

Their smooth, slick, wet bodies came together; her back to his front as they yet again enjoyed the benefits of Harry's enhanced imagination. Afterwards he kneaded her whole body with his talented fingers as she half-floated, half rested in that marvelous tub.

"Isn't it nice to be kneaded?" he whispered in her ear, and was rewarded with a groan.

By the time the mantle clock chimed eleven, she was totally spent. They climbed out of the tub where Harry had the obligatory warm, soft, luxurious towels ready for them and then thoroughly dried, the happy couple slipped gratefully into the welcoming bed. Just before she drifted off Marietta saw that he was fast asleep.

"You know I love you, don't you?" She murmured.

Bellatrix was enjoying being confined to her chambers, she had 'tweaked' Harry's love making and had joined him in his many pinnacles that day. "Good thing I shared the fluid replenishment spell, he'd be very dehydrated otherwise." She chuckled.

Just before sunrise that Sunday Bellatrix slipped out of her chambers and headed for the lower caverns. She didn't want to risk another day in this snake pit. Even though she knew everyone would be asleep she kept to the shadows and only moved when she neither saw nor heard any other living thing moving about.

The torches in the lower caverns had long burned out.

"Better risk a little light," she thought, and barely whispered "lumos."

Soft light, barely brighter than moonlight illuminated the area just in front of her feet as she headed to the portkeyable white stalagmite. Ten feet more, seven feet, four feet; better risk a little more light.

"Lumos."

The light turned ruby red, the red reflected from the grinning eyes of the Dark Lord.


	16. Chapter 15: Pain and Release

Chapter 15 – Pain and Release

Bellatrix was dragged into the throne chamber and thrown to the ground at the feet of the self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort.

"Gently my cohorts, gently; let us hear what Bellatrix has to say for herself. Let us hear why she was carrying a portkey to the only place within these walls where such a contrivance would have worked."

Bellatrix rose to her knees but appeared regal even in a position of servitude.

"I fear for the plan m'lord; there are too many wild magics being carelessly cast about here and I know that if I remain here the plan will be _aborted_." Saying this she gazed up at the snake-like visage meaningfully. "I meant no subterfuge m'lord; we all know that I can be summoned by means of my dark mark at any time from anywhere."

"Ahhh, ever the faithful servant, but tell us, why did you not simply tell me, why lurk about in the darkness?"

"I did not wish to disturb your rest m'lord; that is all." She answered reasonably.

"Very well," he seemed to have an idea, "we shall place you far away from any stray magics until our plan can come to term." Then smiling evilly he continued, "You shall reside in the dungeon until such time as that which must come to pass will come to pass. We shall keep your wand so that no stray magics can interfere with our 'project.' But first you must be disciplined for your serious lack of judgment."

He paused for dramatic effect then shouted "Draco!"

Draco Malfoy came forward holding a dripping-wet burlap sack.

"Let everyone hear and understand, this woman must not be harmed by magics, not even touched by magic. No one is to raise a wand to Bellatrix Black. To do so will incur my wrath; do you all understand?"

All heads nodded, not really understanding why, only needing to know that Lord Voldemort's word is law.

Draco looked ready to burst with anticipation, looking back and forth between his master and Bellatrix and then the dripping bag in his hand. Given Voldemort's nod of consent he pulled a leather bound handle from the sack and then drew out the cat o' nine tails dripping from a solution of brine. The sodden bag hit the rock floor with a dull smack.

Voldemort hissed "bind her to the cross," and two burly sycophants rushed to comply, lifting her roughly by the arms until the Dark Lord added, "but gently, gently."

Bellatrix raised her chin and said, "There is no need to bind me m'lord, I will do what is expected of me."

Voldemort raised a naked eyebrow at this and nodded his approval.

She shook herself from those who still held her by the arms and with great dignity, showing no hint of hesitation, strode over to the restored apparatus that had been the agony of another mother-to-be just a few days before. Loosening her robe she allowed the layers of black silk to slide down exposing her well-formed back and equally well toned buttocks. She stretched out her hands and spread her feet so that her body conformed to the large wooden 'X.' Bellatrix bowed her head so that her temple rested on the crux of the two rough wooden crossbeams.

Draco Malfoy placed his right hand through the strap on the knob of the lash, gripped the handle and shook the braids with a slight twist to allow the individual whips to splay – this would allow the lashes to cover a larger area. The leaded ends were embedded with tiny barbed hooks designed to separate skin from living bone and muscle.

"Now," she thought, "I can begin to pay for the pain and suffering I have caused in my miserable life."

Maniacal glee shone in Malfoy's face as he brandished the whip and struck with all his frustration, thrashed in his impotent anger, lashed with his rage at a world that continually refused him his due. The first three strokes were so rapid that the original nine cuts did not begin to bleed until the frustrated child with the scourge began to lash left to right; top to bottom. He expertly laid the barbed ends so that before long, no parts of his aunt's back or buttocks or exposed arms were untouched, that is to say uncut. The pain was excruciating, the cutting, the burning and the tearing of the living flesh with no rest, no relief between lashes.

Bellatrix's whole body flinched at every stroke, her hands were balled into tight fists and her knees became weak so that she had to lean into the cross for support. Then a strange and altogether unanticipated thing happened; in the pain she found a place of peace, a place of nothingness. The pain was there, but it was as though she were watching from outside herself. She could allow herself one small bit of satisfaction by giving her sadistic nephew the one reaction that would aggravate him to no end. No reaction.

Rivulets of blood streamed down Bellatrix's back, legs and arms, but Draco had yet to earn a scream, a cry, even a whimper. In his impotent frustration he lashed out five quick strokes in succession.

"Scream, damn you!" Draco raged, and in his fury threw the whip at Bellatrix's head; then whipped out his wand.

"Cru-" the curse died on his lips as Voldemort silently summoned Draco's wand.

"I see you have not yet learned obedience, young Malfoy, we shall have to edify you yet again."

Draco fell to his knees his whole body wracked with sobs, not in remorse for what he had done to his aunt, but in anticipation of the pain that would all too soon be revisited on himself.

Voldemort was impressed with Bellatrix in spite of himself. If only he could overcome the bothersome suspicion that she was somehow planning to betray him, he needed devotees with her degree of fortitude.

"Jones, see to her wounds, it would not do to have her develop an infection, then escort her to her new quarters."

A young conscript came forward and began to tend to her gashes. Bellatrix's back, buttocks, upper thighs, neck and arms were a bloody cross-hatch of cuts and welts; the skin was completely gone in some places and raw subcutaneous tissue glistened in the torchlight. Alex Jones, one of the new followers pressed into the service of the maniacal Dark Lord, had acquired some healer training and was putting a restorative salve on all of her exposed skin.

"I'm afraid, m'lady, that there will be some scarring." The almost nurse said with a hint of sadness.

"No matter," she answered, as the silk robe was placed gingerly back on her shoulders. "These are stripes that I have earned in the service of the Dark Lord."

When the first lash struck, Harry sat bolt upright in his bed and hissed in sympathetic pain. Marietta leapt out of bed brandishing her wand, looking for the source of the attack. She closed her eyes tightly and shouted "lumos solaris!" Then "nox," then a more manageable "lumos." The idea being that an attacker would be blinded by the solar level flash and be easier to subdue.

Harry felt the sting of the whip and saw a bright light then saw and felt nothing, no not nothing; between. Between pain and nothing, consciousness and nothingness, but he wasn't alone.

"Who are you?" Harry asked.

"I was Dawn." The spectral form answered. He somehow knew she was a spirit; not quite a ghost.

"Am I . . ."

"You are not dead, you still are. The one who delivered me from my torment is now on the same cross that bore me, but she is there by choice."

"Who is the one who saved you?"

"Not saved, I no longer am, I was delivered from my torment and my son was saved from me."

"Who?"

"Who set us free? The one with whom you share a life."

"I don't understand, Dawn."

"You are making a new life, a new person, a new baby."

"Bellatrix"

"That is her name. She helped me and now in a small way I am helping her, and through her, you."

"How?"

"By letting her come here, to nothingness, away from her torment," the ghost tilted her head as if to listen for something, and then smiled. "She will rejoin herself again, as will you, farewell."

"Wait, Dawn, you say she set you free? When? How?"

"She will always be my angel; she set me free from my pain and torment."

"How?"

"She freed me from the agony that had become my wretched life."


	17. Chapter 16: A Day of Rest and Recovery

Chapter 16 – A Day of Rest and Recovery

"Harry? Harry!"

Marietta's light brown hair framed her concerned face.

"Marie?"

"Oh thank the Goddess, Harry, I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what was happening. Harry, oh Harry." She was kneeling on the bed holding his head to her breast.

"Oh this is nice," he murmured.

"Now I know you're feeling better" she sighed. She sat back on her heels and Harry leaned back on his elbows. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, I think I was dreaming about walking in the dark, not dark like the night but dark like a tunnel or a cave, then I was startled by two red eyes. His eyes, y'know?" She shook her head.

"Voldemort's eyes are red, and the pupils are slits, like cat's eyes or a snake's eyes."

Marietta shuddered at the thought, but encouraged Harry to "go on."

Then I was on a table or a frame, I could see my hands and arms stretched up and away from me but they were a woman's hands, y'know, delicate with long bright red fingernails. My back felt cool like maybe I was naked and then there was burning, tearing pain on my back, like the skin was being ripped off and then I saw Dawn. . ."

"You saw the sun come up?"

"No Dawn, youngish girl, sad eyes."

"Should I be jealous?"

"She's a spirit, less than a ghost."

"Oh."

"It's very confusing; Healer Dumphries said I have a 'link' to Bellatrix, because of the baby."

"I heard that part, yes."

"Dawn said we're linked because of the baby too, she said Bellatrix was being tortured, she used the word tormented. . ."

He thought for a moment, rolled his shoulders and stretched his back as if testing it and said, "Beaten or whipped."

"Pardon?"

"She was being whipped, flogged actually."

"And you felt it too?"

"Oh yeah, but then I saw Dawn and the pain went away."

"What did she say?"

"She said Bellatrix was her angel, that she saved her baby and, uh, released her."

"Angel of death maybe, everyone knows she's a murdering lunatic."

"Remember my fifth year, oh of course you do, well everyone 'knew' I was off my nut for most of that year"

Marietta nodded her understanding.

Harry continued. "What I'm getting through the link doesn't feel like a murdering lunatic. While she was being, y'know, flogged she seemed, I don't know how to say it, she seemed at peace, like she was supposed to be there, like it was the right thing t' do."

"Y'mean she enjoys the pain?"

"No, not that, just like she felt she had to submit to it; I think it was maybe a _cleansing_. I think the word is sacrament. "

Marietta remembered something about 'the scourge of God' and how it was supposed to drive evil out of a truly penitent soul.

Bellatrix rose from her cot and paced her cell, a pit really, an actual stone hole in the ground that had to be accessed by a ladder capped off by grid of cold iron bars. She had a pitcher and basin and flannel for washing up and a chamber pot for her basic needs. A small cot and blanket were her only creature comforts.

The iron grate opened and the ladder was lowered down. Alex Jones gingerly climbed down the narrow steps.

"M'lady, I have more salve for your injuries; may I assist you or would you prefer a woman's touch?"

"Are any of the women volunteering?"

"No, m'lady, but if the Dark Lord insists, one will."

"I am long past modesty Healer Jones."

"I'm sorry m'lady, but I never finished healer school. I'm just 'Jones,' and I'm no healer."

"And I'm no lady, and I would like to think of you as my personal physician if I may."

He held up the stone jar containing the healing salve and asked "with your permission?"

Bellatrix loosened her robe and lay face down on the cot while Jones treated her wounds.

"Magic hands." She sighed as Jones spread the healing ointment.

"It's the salve, m'lady; it will allow most of the wounds to heal."

"Most?"

"As I said m'lady, there will be some scars."

"If only there were salves for the soul, eh healer?"

"Indeed."

"How did you come into the service of the Dark Lord, forgive me, but you don't seem the type?"

"Not all of us are here by choice Lady Black; my family is pureblood but destitute. We couldn't afford to complete my schooling and I was looking for a way to earn enough galleons to lift myself and my family out of poverty. I was in Diagon Alley last month with some of my mates, 'purebloods' all and this fellow Avery tosses a bag of galleons into the middle of the table and says 'drinks f' me mates!' Next thing I know I wake up here with a hangover and a contract signed in blood saying I'm bound to the Dark Lord until one of us dies, and since he's immortal. . ." Jones shrugged.

"I was bound to the master by way of my late husband, now it seems I am obligated to serve him as you do."

"Let this soak in for the next half hour or so m'lady, we'll do two more treatments and that should suffice. May I be of further assistance? Do you need anything?"

"Perhaps a brush, Healer Jones, and one of the pillows from my other chambers would help me sleep at night, although night and day are irrelevant down here are they not?"

"As you say, Lady Black; I promise that I will try."

Harry and Marietta spent the day in companionable silence. Each felt the need to be close enough to touch at all times. They sat a bit closer at meal times and read or studied within easy reach of each other.

"We'll be needin' to put on our 'professional' faces tomorrow an' Tuesday and the rest o' the week, Luv, except for Thursday o' course."

"What happens on Thursday?"

She closed her book in mock exasperation, then stalked over to Harry's side of the loveseat.

"That'll be your birthday, darlin,' and you'll be of legal age and I can finally have me wicked way with you!"

"Wait, does that mean what we've already done, several times in fact, has been illegal?"

"Nope, just improper, 'age of consent' is sixteen; age of majority, that is to say legally adult is seventeen."

"Why do I get the feeling you've looked this up?"

Marietta just smiled and pulled Harry into a deep, soulful kiss.

"Seeing as how we're goin' to be busy on Thursday and all, would you like to open your present a bit early?"

"Um, all right."

"Just give me half a tic" she said as she slipped into the loo.

'Half a tic' turned out to be just over five minutes. When she emerged she wore a short night gown made of a deep emerald translucent material that both obscured and enhanced her undeniably feminine and otherwise naked form. She stretched out cat-like on the bed and gave Harry a 'come-hither' look.

"I looked for hours to find one that matches your eyes," her voice dropped a whole octave as she insisted, "now c'mere you, and open your present!"

Harry kicked off his shoes and slid onto the bed facing Marietta; he stroked her cheek then caressed her body through the sheer material.

"I love the feel of this" he said as he cupped her breast, thumbing the erect nipple through the material.

"You're 'feelin'' pretty good to me Luv" she cooed.

Her gown came together in the front and was held closed by an elegant single silken petite bow between her breasts. He leaned into her kissing her completely and pulled the end of the knot to untie it and release 'the girls.'

As Harry was doing this Marietta had freed him from the durance vile of his jeans and was pulling him to her warm, wet center.

"Slowly Luv," Harry whispered into her ear, "we have all night."

"I'm too randy to be slow right now, we can be slow later, right now I need this" and she squeezed him for emphasis "I need this where it'll do the most good!"

He didn't even remove his jeans; he just pushed them half way down his thighs and entered her, knowing she was already ready.

"Yessss," she hissed as he slid in for a perfect fit, "welcome home, Mister Potter."


	18. Chapter 17: Gestalt

Chapter 17 – Gestalt

Part of the torture of being in a dungeon is sensory depravation. No sights except for the dancing shadows of the bars projected into your cell from faint torches lighting the caverns above. No sounds other than those you make yourself or those made by the scratching of the multiple pairs of tiny vermin feet. When it rained outside a rivulet of water, filtered by the layers of limestone would send a vertical stream of clean water down one wall that would pool at the seam formed by wall and floor before being absorbed into the semi porous rock. Bellatrix could take advantage of the fresh water to bathe in the icy perpendicular flow. If only she had a change of robes she could wash one set while letting the other dry in the weak air flow beneath the grate.

The passage of time is unremarkable as there is no schedule. Food is lowered at some point and must last until the next time food is lowered. Water is provided in a similar fashion in similarly irregular intervals. Thank the Goddess for the rivulet within the pit.

The day becomes an endless series of: sit on the bed or lie on the bed or move about the tiny room, eat, drink, eliminate waste, then proceed to sit on the bed or lie on the bed and sleep. Prisoners confined solitarily in this manner had gone mad from sheer boredom.

Bellatrix Black knew the passage of time though; she could feel the sunshine on her face and arms and breathe clean air unpolluted by the smell of her own waste in the chamber pot. In spite of or perhaps because of her isolation she could and did strengthen her connection to Harry Potter. She could see the world through his eyes. She could enjoy the conversations of those around her and from time to time could even offer an opinion of her own. She especially liked his close relationship with his Marie, not just the physical closeness from which she derived a great deal of pleasure, but the feeling of being part of something that was greater than the sum of its parts.

"A gestalt." She put the word and its context in the front of Harry's mind and he smiled at the truth of it and she felt his smile too.

Thus she was in a state of utter contentment when 'Healer' Jones descended the ladder carrying a few items for his patient. He had brought a large, soft pillow from her chambers and a change of sheets as well as a thick comforter to make the cot less uncomfortable. He set about making up her bed and tidying up the space as well as he could. He placed a bundle on the bunk and told her it was a change of robes and a pair of simple cloth slippers.

With a quick 'evanesco' charm he emptied the chamber pot then set a stone rune at the bottom of the pot, a simple household charm that would make it self-cleaning. Jones busied himself setting other runes around the cell to ensure Bellatrix would not be bothered by night insects. Seeming satisfied with his efforts he pulled a toothbrush and a hairbrush from the apparently bottomless bag.

"These have both been charmed to be cleansing," he explained, "just brush your teeth and they will feel mint fresh, likewise with the hairbrush, just brush and it will clean as well as untangle your hair. The hairbrush will also clean your garments in like fashion."

He pulled the jar of ointment from the bag along with a soft cloth.

"If you spread the salve on this cloth and then lie on it, it will do to anoint that part of your back that you can't easily reach by yourself. Just remember to lie still for at least half an hour."

"Will you not be coming back?" she asked.

"I don't think so, milady. I have been ordered to take the dark mark tonight and I can't do that. We both know what will happen when I refuse the Dark Lord."

Her spirits, unbroken by her torture and imprisonment, cracked to their very foundations. Surely there was something that could be done. Think Bella, think!

"One last thing," he said as he pulled a final bundle from the sack. "I have always turned to these when I felt lonely or depressed."

Two small books were bound together with a black silk ribbon. He pulled the knot on the ribbon and placed it inside the first tome. He also had a small, thin wand that she recognized as a 'reading book mark' essentially a small wand that could only do one spell, a simple 'lumos,' but it was enough to read by and would last indefinitely.

"This one" he said as he handed her the first small book, "is 'Camelot in the Nineteenth Century,' Arthurian characters in the poems of Tennyson, Arnold, Morris and Swinburne, and this one," he held the other obviously oft' read book close to his chest, "is Charles Baudelaire's 'The Flowers of Evil' it's often obsessive and it's a little morbid but it's so beautifully written. Even thought it presents the poet himself as an accursed wretch it influenced virtually all the French poetry that came after."

He looked at her and asked "lisez-vous Français?"

"Oui, mon ami, naturellement."

He nodded, kissed the leather bound volume, touched it to his forehead and then handed it to her. She accepted it and felt her eyes well up as she saw tears running down both his cheeks.

"Perhaps our next life will be kinder to us both, milady. May I treat your wounds?"

She nodded and disrobed before lying on the much improved cot.

Harry in his guise as Recruit Platoon Leader Evans was very satisfied with what he saw, four dozen auror trainees that he wouldn't hesitate to match against most of the aurors in the field today. They were still learning but the Regimental Command had already decided that whatever RPL Evans did would become the boiler plate for all training to follow.

"Squad Alpha, on me." He shouted.

Twelve auror candidates double-timed to his position.

"Who are your best defenders? Who can make the best shields?"

Four hands went up.

"Right, you four are with me, who's your best sharp shooter?"

Two hands went up.

"Right then, Mister Smythe!"

"Sah!"

"Still got those bludgers?"

"Aye, Sah."

"Put 'Kit Carson' and 'Annie Oakley' here in the middle of the field and see who gets one or both before they get hit."

Trainee Cruz stood in the middle of the parade ground back to back with Trainee Morris.

"Jose, why did you have to volunteer us like this?"

"Us? I didn't put your paw in the air; that was pure Kim."

Kim Morris nodded and chuckled, "well, you wanted to get his attention, I'd say you got it."

Jose Cruz laughed, "Be careful what you wish for."

"Who the hell is Annie Oakley anyway?" she asked.

"Famous sharpshooter from the Old West."

"Ah, and Kit Carson, same thing?"

"Yep, okay, here they come, you spot left I'll spot right."

"Half a tic, is that your left or my left? We're back to back y'know!"

"Ai! Tenochtitlan! Your right, your right!"

The wooden balls were coming in at a frightening speed and neither trainee was allowed to move out of the way, if they didn't want to get pounded they had to hit their targets.

Cruz sighted in on his bludger and cried "Diffindo!"

His shot was spot on, the only problem was that the precision beam sliced the bludger in half and now two half blugers with sharp edges were homing in on him looking for all the world like two wooden hemispheres of death.

He heard his partner yell "bombardia" before he was knocked to the ground then he heard a muffled "finite incantatum!" muffled as Morris's ample boobs were covering his face.

Harry stormed over to the two trainees lying on the ground, and demanded "What the hell was that?"

"You were ordered to stand there and take out the targets, and you disregarded that order!"

"Sah!" Recruit Morris was on her feet. "Those bits o' bluger were gonna kill Cruz, I wasn't gonna let that happen, Sah!"

"So you would disregard orders in a clinch if you feel your judgment is clearer than some REMF?"

"Sah," she answered with fire in her eyes, "without a second thought Sah!"

"Master at Arms, if you please?"

Kim Morris' knees went weak, she was about to be thrown into the brig or somesuch.

"Sah?"

"Who is the Recruit Squad Leader of Alpha Squad?"

"That was my job, Sah, until I got promoted out of it."

"What's your name, recruit?"

"Recruit Morris, Sah!"

"That's where you're wrong; it's RSL Morris until I say otherwise." Seeing the gob-smacked expression on Kim's face he explained, "I'm not looking for brainless sheep who can't or won't think for themselves, you showed real initiative just now and you were looking out for your squad mate. I need a first-rate squad leader for Alpha Squad, are you up for it?"

"Sah, yes Sah!"

Harry looked at Cruz. "Recruit, you split a wooden ball in half at fifty paces, was that luck or are you really that good."

"Sah, try me Sah!"

Harry chuckled, "If you can get the rest of the platoon to spell cast half that good we'll be unbeatable. Recruit Cruz your job is going to be to do just that, bring everyone's marksmanship scores up by at least half, get it?"

"Sah, got it, Sah!"

"Good. Gather 'round mates, gather 'round."

Harry was in the middle of the circle and he had everyone's undivided attention.

"We're going to take the best of every auror candidate in this platoon and spread the wealth, everyone has something they're really good at, spell casting, blocking, running and dodging, hand to hand, cover and concealment. We're going to make it so that the cover wizard from Gamma Squad could step into Beta Squad and neither group would miss a step. Every one of us has a special talent, but when we put those talents together, working as a team we're – and the word came to him – a _gestalt_. That means as a whole we are greater than the sum of our parts, get it?

The platoon chorused back "Got it!"

"Good."

Author's Note: In training taking the initiative will get you noticed, sometimes that's a good thing. More often than not you get into trouble. The RE in REMF stands for "Rear Echelon" and MF needs no explanation. The "Get it," "got it," "good" is from The Court Jester.


	19. Chapter 18: A Conversation Worth Remembe

Chapter 18 – A Conversation worth Remembering

Alex Jones had just finished applying the healing ointment to Bellatrix's scarred body and stood to leave when she grabbed his hand and said "stay a while."

He sat on the edge of the cot holding her hand, giving and taking comfort from the simple contact. They talked; they cried and they held each other. If it would have helped she would have let the gentle healer take her, but he was too overcome with grief at his own imminent passing to even consider her implied offer.

Finally he stood and said in a calm voice, "it's time."

Bellatrix cried herself to sleep while clutching the worn volume of Baudelaire's poetry to her breast.

Harry's mood was troubled that night, he longed for Marietta's comforting presence. He did his evening rounds in a desultory manner, ensuring the sentries were awake and alert before turning in. His dreams were of dungeons and despair and loss and grief. He felt the link in his half conscious state and for the first time realized he could sense surface thoughts from the other end. He could 'hear' Bellatrix.

"Why do you cry?" he asked, not really expecting and answer.

"I grieve for the life of a good man who found himself in an untenable position."

"Who was he?"

"A gentle man, a healer, now I fear he is dead."

"I am surprised that you grieve so."

Bellatrix understood at that moment, with absolute clarity that she could never again be the person she had been. "I am not who you all think I am. I feel, I grieve, I regret. Oh God and Goddess I regret."

"What do you regret most?"

"My cowardice, I lacked the courage or perhaps the depth of feeling my sister had when she married a muggleborn. I accepted the marriage contract with Rodolphus Lestrange and my life has been a nightmare ever since."

Harry began to understand, as Bellatrix had already come to understand that the link, 'no, call it what it is' he thought to himself, 'it's a bond, we are connected on a fundamental level, I know what she's feeling at all times, I know what she's thinking right now; I can even browse her memories.' He had become, by virtue of the bond, a natural legilimens. He could harvest every memory she had and force her to relive them, no matter how demeaning, no matter how damning, no matter how agonizing; but he would not barge into her private thoughts and memories uninvited; he would not become Snape, he would not be a rapist. "Please show me, please help me to understand."

Bellatrix sighed and pulled back the gloomy curtain concealing the collective memories of her existence.

He saw her life before her betrothal; he barely recognized the vivacious young girl full of love for life and her many close friends, most notably her sisters Narcissa and Andromeda. Then it was as if someone had pulled a dark veil over her reality as her 'maiden's blood' was used to seal the contract following her May-December marriage. He recognized, through her own experiences that she was bound by blood to support her husband in all things, to take the dark mark, and to enter Voldemort's service in whatever capacity he demanded. His latest demand was that she be the vessel of the "issue of mine enemy." That had been the beginning of the end of Bellatrix Lestrange. She'd had no free will from the time of her original marriage contract at the age of sixteen until the conception of the miracle within her. She was free for the first time in her adult life. She was desperate to rid herself of the last vestiges of her existence with the late and unlamented Rodolphus and to start a new one with the daughter she already loved more than her own life.

"Where are you?"

"I am in a pit and I am alone."

"No, not alone, I am with you and so is someone else."

"She is not yet aware."

"She?"

"Yes, I am sure, she."

"What will become of her?"

Harry felt such overwhelming grief communicated over the bond that he feared his heart would shatter. She showed Harry what Voldemort had planned for their baby girl.

"It is another part of his quest for immortality."

In spite of the depth of feeling coming across the link Harry couldn't help but be suspicious, this could be a very elaborate ruse, after all the Dork Tosser has already proven that he knew which of Harry's buttons to push. "I don't know that I can trust you."

"Yes you do, you must; I will give you what you need to defeat him once and for all."

"Can you get away?"

"That is not possible at this time."

"Can you tell me where you are?"

"No, the fidelious prevents me."

"Can you describe where you are?"

"We are in great caverns, there are several levels, and I am in a pit in the lowest level."

"Is there anything distinctive about the caverns you're in?"

"There is a cavern like a large dome made up almost entirely of crystals, and another that looks like a waterfall frozen in place."

"I will see what I can do. Can you give me something in good faith?"

There was a pause in their conversation, as if she were hesitating before jumping off a high precipice.

"What do you know of horcruxes?"

Harry was being shaken awake by a very cheerful Yeoman Edgecombe, "Harry, Harry? Wakey, wakey!"

Harry groaned, is it five-thirty already?

"'Fraid so Luv, rise and shine!"

"I have a better idea, come here!"

She danced out of his reach and said, "Only if you get up and get into uniform."

"Here I thought you preferred me undressed. . ."

"Stop teasing, start dressing, brekkers in five minutes." With that she headed out of the bedroom and into the conference room next door.

As he showered he saw the cascading water from the shower head and thought 'that looks like a waterfall.'

And with that image the entire conversation he'd had with Bellatrix came rushing back.

He flew out of the shower soaking wet and into the conference room naked; dripping water all over the floor.

Marietta looked up from the table and yelped, "Harry, get dressed, you've a staff meeting in five minutes!"

"Pensieve," he gasped out, "quick!"

"I'll get the Sergeant Major's; you get a robe on at least!"

Harry mumbled assent as he was scribbling facts on a parchment with the stub of a pencil.

Crystal dome cavern

Multiple levels

Frozen waterfalls

Fleurs du Mal

Harry looked puzzled at that but remembered his state of dress or rather the lack thereof and sprinted back into his room to throw on a uniform and robe just as his staff arrived.

"Hey Repple," Smythe called out, "Ya spilled somethin' in here!"

"Be right out, have some tea or coffee" he answered as he exited his sleeping quarters and entered the conference room he saw that his support staff, minus his yeoman, were already nursing hot cups of the beverage of their choice.

"A little help here?" Marietta's voice came from the doorway.

"Couldn't you levitate it?" Harry asked as he rushed to help her carry the heavy stone basin to the table.

"Can't levitate objects infused with this kind of magic, Harry, the spell would go all wonky."

"Oh." He looked thoughtful, then asked "Could you have put it in a box and levitated the box?"

She looked stunned for a moment. "Levitate. The. Box."

She looked at the assembled squad leaders and the Master at Arms; they all looked back and shrugged.

"I don't think anyone's ever tried that." Smythe said.

"Levitate. The. Box." Marietta repeated.

Harry was already pulling the gossamer thread of his latest memory and placing it into the pensieve.

"Is there a box around here somewhere?" Marietta asked.

"Give it a rest Yeoman" Smythe rejoined.

"Marie, Smythe, can we all fit into a pensieve at the same time?"

"We might bump bonces, but we should fit." Marietta replied.

"Let's find out."

With that the three senior personnel went face first into the stone basin.

The three staffers wandered around the semi darkness and caught glimpses of Harry's memory and the occasional image, as though it was projected on a screen, of dark caverns and deep caves.

Smythe was the first to speak, "Derbyshire, they have to be in Derbyshire."

Marietta agreed, "I remember my grammar school took an outing to Derbyshire when I was about nine or ten, it was Castleton, the Treak Cliff Cavern. I couldn't stand it when they turned out the lights to show just how dark it gets in those caves."

"Right," Smythe agreed, "there have to be hundreds of caves and caverns in that area."

"Yes" Harry interjected, but there will be muggle repelling charms and those can be detected, right?"

Marietta nodded in agreement, "they can, but they'll be makin' it easy to find them anyway."

"How's that?" Harry asked.

"They're death eaters ain't they? Find a place that has had a number of missing persons lately and Bellatrix and your sprog will be in the closest cavern of any size."

"Um" Smythe looked a bit uncomfortable, "we have a fair idea where the death eaters are holed up; shouldn't we be tellin' someone?"

Harry thought for a long moment then said "If it were anyone but you lot I wouldn't tell you this, and I don't need to say that what I'm about to say cannot leave this room." Seeing the 'but of course' expressions on his Yeoman and Master at Arms and the four squad leaders who had been waiting patiently for clarification since the pensieve had been wrestled into the room, he continued "there is a prophecy, a real prophecy that says basically that I'm the only one who can kill Voldemort."

"Cor," remarked Squad Leader Morris, "you really are the 'chosen one!'"

"Never doubted it" Smythe rejoined.

"The prophecy doesn't say I will kill him, only that I can; downside is if I don't he can and will kill me. The exact quote is 'neither can live while the other survives.'"

Without realizing it Harry had just cemented his relationship with these soon to be aurors. By showing unconditional trust in them he had earned the life long fealty of everyone in that room. From that moment on they would gladly soak their robes in petrol and follow Harry into Hell if that's what was needed.

ooo000ooo

Author's note: It's a girl! Well, in the story anyway, it had to be one or the other so I flipped a coin and it came up tails.

The cavern described in this story exists, it's the Blue John Cavern in Derbyshire; it really does have a dome made up of crystals and a frozen waterfall formation, the rest of the details of the location are mostly constructs of my imagination.


	20. Chapter 19: Sleep Talking

Chapter 19 – Sleep Talking

For the next three days in addition to preparing the troops for their practical assessments, Harry brainstormed with his staff, Sergeant Major Moody, and Hlr. Dumphries. They needed a way into and out of warded caverns, held by hostiles so that they could snatch someone who may or may not be on the up and up. Simple really, like trying to peel a turtle with one's bare hands.

First step, find the caverns.

Second step, develop a floor plan of the caverns.

Third step, sneak in and find the 'someone.'

Forth step, get out and away.

Most important step, don't die.

Steps one and two fell into their laps when they were looking at some recent echo-soundings made by the Ministry of the Interior of caverns in Manchester and the Northwest region of England, along with brochures provided by RSM Moody showing caverns in the same general area. Jose "Kit Carson" Cruz was working out ways to affix a wand to a muggle rife scope for accuracy over a greater distance when he sighted in on the cave and cavern pamphlets.

"Are you a spelunker too?" he asked.

Everyone at the staff table looked quizzically at Jose.

"You enjoy caves?" he clarified.

"Not really, but we need to find one."

"Mama is a squib who works for a mining company, she used to take me along to the sites and I found I liked caves. The feeling that you get when you know that you're the first human being to enter a chamber, ever, is amazing."

"Mister Cruz, what do you know about the caves around Derbyshire?" Harry hoped his voice didn't give a hint of his desperation.

"I've been in all of the caves and caverns in Derbyshire open to the public, and a number that were not."

"Is there a cave with a domed roof made up of crystals, and a formation that looks like a frozen waterfall?"

"That'll be Blue John in Castleton, yeah; I've crawled all over that one, nice limestone formations."

Marietta immediately found the sonar survey of Blue John Cavern and piled the tripartite brochure on top of it for further study. Kim Morris looked hungrily at Jose and asked in a husky voice, "Repple, request permission to kiss Recruit Cruz?"

"If you don't I just might." Harry had to laugh at the horrified expression on Cruz's face at that. "Kidding, Cruz, I'm just kidding, seriously though; you know these caves?"

"Oh yeah, I was there at the beginning of the season in April, I remember because I may have been one of the last to see it before it closed – something about safety concerns, funny though, I know caverns and this one was as stable as any I've ever seen."

Harry and the others shared a significant look.

"It's your call Repple" Smythe said.

"Cruz you just got promoted to staff, you need to be at all our meetings from now on; this is why. . ." Jose received all the information that had been shared up to that point, and then Harry said "I need to see your most recent memories of the place, tell me, have you ever used a pensieve?"

Bellatrix was withdrawn following Jones' last visit. Food and water were lowered down to her and the chamber pot was now self-cleaning. She only ate at all because she didn't want the baby growing within her to suffer. She read 'Camelot in the 19th Century' and enjoyed the complete misinformation concerning all the Arthurian characters, especially Merlin. She found herself mesmerized by the works of Baudelaire, she wept at the breathtaking _rightness_ of it.

She felt the wet pillowcase and composed herself. 'Better let this dry or it may get musty' she thought and shook the pillow out of the case. Even in the dim half-light of the dungeon she saw the thin shimmering cloth fall out with the pillow and the note written on fabric. She whispered 'lumos' and her reading light illuminated the short missive.

_My Lady Bellatrix, _

_I have no hope for a future in this life and will not have to suffer it much longer, I have hope, however, for you and the child you carry. I am enough of a healer to make that diagnosis. I have obtained an invisibility cloak in the hope that you will find a way to make use of it. The reading bookmark is your wand, transfigured to look like a harmless reading light. The moment you cast any spell other than 'lumos' it will revert to form, if you ever get the chance, please thank Professor McGonagall for the transfiguration lessons. You must live My Lady, so that I will not have died in vain. I hope to know you in the next life when we both have a happier reality. _

_Yours always,_

_Alex "Healer" Jones_

Oddly, Bellatrix felt her sorrow lift upon reading his note. She had mourned for him long enough; her grief transfigured into grim determination. Alex had given her and her daughter a chance for life and she would honor that. To do that she had to get away and find Harry, she knew he was the key to all of this.

She lay on her cot and composed herself trying to strengthen her connection with the father of her baby. She could feel his determination; he had a singleness of purpose driving him to an end, she slipped into a state of semi consciousness and was able to read his surface thoughts. What she saw startled her fully awake. "Oh my Goddess, Merlin, Morgana and Maeve, he's coming for us!"

It was with a great deal of difficulty that she was able to calm herself to the point where she could try to reestablish a good link. He knew were she was, he had a good idea of the layout of the caverns; but how? Ah, she could see the clues she was able to give allowed him to deduce her location. She could see the map through his eyes; there were one or two discrepancies but nothing major. A small structure resembling a cottage at the mouth of the main cavern, nicely done! The steps leading to the main chamber floor, the sloping descent into the lower chamber that now served as the 'throne room.' He drew side passageways leading to what had been her quarters, then farther down into the smaller darker caves, good, good. Now the narrowest tunnel, so that you had to stoop to pass through, then a large opening and the pit. "This is where I am Harry;" she screamed in her own mind "this is my dungeon."

Jose watched in fascination as the Recruit Platoon Leader Evans drew with amazing precision the dimensions of a place he had never visited. "I don't remember that tunnel Repple."

Harry smirked; he had come to realize that many of his insights concerning the location of the chambers and tunnels of Blue John Cavern were coming from Bellatrix. "S'okay, I have intelligence from inside the cavern."

"Apparition and portkeying are out of the question, they'll have wards up for those." Harry felt the confirmation through the link, "Portkeying in is out but out is not out of the question."

Harry felt a rush of warmth over the link that let him know he understood correctly.

"Sorry" Cruz said, "I don't think I understand what you just said."

"We can't portkey in, but there is a place inside the caverns that will permit an outbound portkey."

"If I had a secret base I'd have some back door way out of there in case I was attacked by overwhelming numbers. Voldemort must have set it up to escape" Marietta mused. "It could also be the tip of a salt dome, and certain kinds of magic go wonky around large masses of salt, like transport spells."

"And if there's a backdoor out," Smythe continued the train of thought, "it could be a way in."

"It'll be heavily warded, and probably guarded as well." Harry said, and on seeing the disparaging expressions on the faces of everyone in the room he added, "Hey, just being the devil's advocate here."

"Blue John Cavern has been mined since the Romans were in Britain, there must be shafts leading from outside to various places within to provide some light and ventilation." Jose offered.

"Large enough for a person to enter the caverns?"

"Some would have to be, and there's a better than even chance the death eaters wouldn't even consider them."

"Why is that?"

"Because they're mostly hidden from sight, maybe we can get someone small in there to scope it out for us?"

Harry thought for a moment, then said "I think I may have a friend who can do that. In any case we're going to need some help here, eyes and ears outside the caverns so we can take advantage of any opportunity that arises."

Ten minutes later Sergeant Major Moody came stumping in.

"Can we get covert surveillance on Blue John Cavern in Castleton, Derbyshire?"

"We can" the grizzled old auror said, "and we can get some of our better trained auror candidates to help, call it part of their practical assessment."

"Excellent, as long as they know not to engage the enemy, this has to be completely covert."

"Repple, I'd put most of your platoon and all of your staff in the field today. They are well trained and work seamlessly together."

"Still, none of them have seen real combat yet, I'd rather not push our luck here."

"Fair enough" Moody agreed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that's it for now. Get some rest we have an early day of it tomorrow."

"Remember we have a mandatory formation in front of the open mess at twenty hundred as well," the Sergeant Major reminded.

Goodnights were offered all around and Harry and Marietta managed to sneak a passionate but all too brief kiss when she suddenly 'remembered' her memo book left by 'accident' on the conference table after everyone else had left.

"That'll have to do, Luv, til' the next liberty weekend." She said apologetically.

He groaned and gave her a tender embrace just before she left.

He performed his nightly ablutions and crawled into his bed and was quickly asleep.

"It's about time you got here" Bellatrix said.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked

"I'm better, I know you are coming for us; I _am_ anxious, though."

"Anxious?"

"As in hopeful but frightened at the same time, so much can go wrong."

"Doing nothing is not an option."

"I may be able to affect my own escape, please don't be rash."

"I want you and our daughter out of there as soon as possible."

"Alexis."

"Beg pardon?"

"If you agree I want our daughter to be named Alexis, in honor of the one who has given us a means and a hope of escaping this place."

"I like that name, Alexis it is. May we call her Alexis Lily? Lily was my mother's name."

"There was a time when I called Lily Evans my friend; yes of course Alexis Lily is a lovely name."

Harry was amazed at how knowing his daughter's name made her just that much more real. There is, after all, power in a name.

"Harry, so much can go wrong, can you remember what we 'talk' about, I mean in detail?"

"I remembered enough of our last communication that I was able to record it in a pensieve, I even recalled some of the visuals you passed on to me."

"That would have to be Alexis' doing, she must be strengthening our bond."

"Smart girl, that."

"Harry, Voldemort can be beaten, you can do it."

He didn't need to mention the prophecy, he knew that she knew. He had no secrets from her and that was alright too.

"You know what I need to do this, right?" he asked

"The horcruxes."

"Yes."

"The cup, the locket, the ring, the diary, scabbard and inkwell" she listed.

"I thought Nagini was one."

"Why would Voldemort make a living thing a horcrux? If he did then the death of the snake would mean that piece of his soul would die too."

"I took care of the diary in my second year" Harry said.

"How?"

"Um, I pierced it cover to cover with the fang of a basilisk."

"Harry, where did you find a basilisk's fang?"

"Pulled it out of my arm after the great dirty snake bit me."

"And how did you survive?"

"Phoenix tears, great birds phoenixes."

"And the basilisk?"

"Killed it with Godric Gryffindor's sword."

"And how did you get the sword?"

"From the same phoenix that gave me his tears."

"I need to hear all about that when we have finished here, that leaves five more."

"Four more, actually."

"What?"

"Dumbledore got the ring from Little Winging and destroyed it."

"This is getting better and better. Any others?"

"Well, we went to the cave to get the locket. . ."

"But?" she had heard the unstated 'but' there.

"Someone had gotten it first, someone whose initials were R.A.B."

Harry and Bellatrix were quiet across the link for a while, then he felt her make a connection. "Regulus Abraxis Black, it has to be!" she exclaimed aloud. "Dear Cousin Regulus, he died with a smile and now I know why. He had the locket – it must be at Grimmauld Place."

"If it hasn't been nicked."

"Who?"

"Mundungus Fletcher."

"If he took it he won't try to sell it quickly, it is a verifiable relic of Salazar Slytherin; he'll want to get the most out of it. Find Fletcher quickly!"

"What are the others, and more importantly, where are the rest of the horcruxes?"

"Helga's Cup is in the Chamber of secrets in a room that is just inside the open mouth of Salazar's statue. The scabbard is for the sword you used to kill the basilisk and it is hiding in plain sight in the headmistresses' office. Rowena's inkwell is likewise in plain sight in the living quarters that were set aside for her; you'll find her rooms next to the headmistresses' office."

"So," Harry said, "the only horcrux still missing is the locket and we know it's either at the old Black estate or in the hands of a petty thief. I'm going to wake up now so that I can record this while it is still fresh in my mind."

"Please do, and hurry back, I would like to share Baudelaire's _Les Fleurs du Mal_ with you."

Harry remembered writing that title down from the last time he has 'spoken' with Bellatrix, "so that's where that came from!"

He shook himself awake, threw on a robe and padded barefoot into the conference room to draw the gossamer memories out of his head and into the pensieve. He returned to his bed and was instantly asleep.

"Welcome back" she said.

"Miss me already?" he jibed.

"As I have been locked away in this pit I have been able to gaze at the world through your eyes, I have to say you are a most impressive young man."

"I guess I have my . . . half a mo' here, how long have you been hanging around in my head?"

"Do you remember the night of the Platoon Party?"

"Yes, and I remember what happened after that too."

"Harry, think about it, it was your first deliberate sexual encounter, did you really think a not quite seventeen year old boy would be that good?"

"I thought I was just remembering stuff I'd read in magazines, y'know, 'What a Woman Really Wants' and all that."

"Most of those articles are written by men, trust me, you did more to cement your reputation as a sex god when you brushed your teeth and shaved the next morning than any of the intimate gymnastics of the night before. And wrapping 'Marie' in the warm towel as she exited the shower guaranteed that she would never be just a one nighter."

"Were any of the things I did my own idea?"

"Most of them, actually, I just worked on your timing, let you know when to start caressing and where and when to move on to the next level. You're an athlete; you know that timing is everything. I just helped you along. Truth be told, I enjoyed it as much as you did."

"How so?" he asked.

"Every time you climaxed, I did too. It's been a most satisfactory bond; I haven't been this sexually active since . . . ever!"

"Belle, may I call you Belle?"

"I would like that very much Harry."

"Are you getting, um . . ."

"Randy, horny, wanton, wet?"

"Um, yeah."

"Now that you mention it, yes."

"What do you do, I mean, do you, um, take care of yourself?"

"I do, fingers are very handy that way, and we girls provide our own lubrication. You on the other hand, oh that's funny, the other hand; which ever hand you use will need something to lubricate it, lotion or emollient or if nothing else, spit."

"Tell me more about what a woman wants . . ."

"We all want tenderness, depth of feeling and yes, commitment. I know that is too much to ask of one so young, but I sense the same need for all of these things in you. You long for a family to cherish. Believe me Harry when I say I will not keep our daughter away from you. I wouldn't even if I could."

". . . wants from a lover."

"Tenderness, seasoned with a healthy helping of vitality – sometimes it's good to just let the animal loose and rut, but afterward tenderness, always tenderness to make us feel that we were being loved; not just used for sex."

"Afterplay?"

"Exactly, now, can you feel what I'm doing?"

Harry could indeed feel a very warm, tingly feeling; similar to the buildup to an orgasm.

"I have enjoyed your pinnacles these past few days, I would like to try to return the favor."

Having 'said' that she concentrated on her center, bringing herself to a state of bliss.

"Did you feel that, Harry?"

"Oh, ye-ah!" he replied aloud.

"Did you know that a woman can climax several times in rapid succession?"

"No."

"Let me demonstrate, mon amant et mon amour."

And she did, several times that night.

ooo000ooo

The purpose of this chapter is to set the stage for Belle's rescue, the game is set, all the pieces are in place.


	21. Chapter 20: Promotions and Celebrations

Chapter 20 – Promotions and Celebrations

In the dungeon Bellatrix read aloud by the dim light of her reading wand:

_Dans les caveaux d'insondable tristesse  
Où le Destin m'a déjà relégué;  
Où jamais n'entre un rayon rose et gai;  
Où, seul avec la Nuit, maussade hôtesse_

And Harry heard and understood:

_My fate confines me, dark and shady,  
In vaults of lone unfathomed grief.  
No rosy sunbeams bring relief.   
Alone with Night, my grim landlady,_

He was astounded at the relevance of it, "Belle, that is so, I can't think of the word, just so right, right now."

"You can see why I am drawn to Charles Baudelaire, how could I not be?"

"Are all of his works so . . . dark?"

"I would have to say most, he was a tortured soul, but he wrote of great beauty, his 'Les Yeux de Berthe,'"

"Sounds like 'the eyes of Bertha' or 'Bertha's Eyes,' am I close?"

"Exactly, that and 'À une Dame Créole,' which translates to 'to a Creole Lady' are both celebrations of feminine beauty."

"Will you read those to me, please?"

"Of course."

A bright light shone just above his head and he heard Marietta softly call, "wakey, wakey sleepyhead" just before she planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Five thirty already?" he groused.

"Time to be up Luv."

He stumbled into the loo and took a quick shower, then shaved and returned to his bedroom to find 'Marie' stretched out on top of his comforter wearing the 'birthday gift-wrapping' from the weekend before.

"Um, Marie?"

"I hope you don't mind, lover, I woke you up early to give you a proper present."

He looked over at the mantle clock and saw that it was indeed early. They had about two hours before they had to be anywhere.

Harry swore he felt a snigger in the back of his mind as Belle took in the scene before him. He smiled and set himself to the task at hand, it might be his birthday but he was going to see to it that Marietta got the presents; as many as he could give her.

Two hours later, sweaty and out of breath they shared yet another shower and were prepared to meet the day with Mona Lisa smiles.

Thursday the 31st was a beautiful day, the aurors candidates were less than three weeks from graduation and their skills were being honed to a fine edge by the combined efforts of the Recruit Platoon Leader and the senior staff and cadre. Harry A.K.A. Platoon Leader Evans was astounded by the level of dedication to duty shown by his troops; men and women who had just two months before been school kids or shopkeepers. Now they were the edge of the sword and Harry was the chevalier.

As the trainees tromped back to their rooms, dirty and worn from a long day of training in the intense midsummer's heat they were reminded, "Formation at twenty-hundred, full dress robes."

Harry remarked that it was a sign of maturity that no one groaned at the thought of wearing the heavy maroon dress robes over the Class "A" auror's uniform. He took a long-hot shower, made longer and hotter by his yeoman who demanded a little one-on-one training with the Repple.

In no time Recruit Platoon Leader Evans, Yeoman Edgecombe and MaA Smythe were standing in front of his platoon; forty eight of Her Majesty's finest in four neat rows of twelve. To their left First Platoon headed by Christina Prince, to their right Third and Fourth Platoons respectively.

Commandant Hayden stepped smartly to the fore, flanked by his adjutant and Regimental Sergeant Major Moody.

"Avalon Regiment, Ninth Company, stand at ease!" The commandant's voice did not need a 'sonorus' charm, it carried on its own quite well thank you. "In three weeks you will be become a regular auror unit, a thin red line in a war that has set brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor. Some of our friends and family have gone over to the enemy and will not hesitate to kill us when we oppose them. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen; we are engaged in a terrible civil war and we are fighting for our very survival. We must end this war quickly and decisively if the wizarding world is to endure. To do this we need soldiers, yes, troops to take the fight to the enemy but we also need leaders those who can and will make the difficult decisions in the days to come." His gaze transfixed the two hundred three troops before him. Then he called out "Recruit Platoon Leader Evans, front and center."

Harry strode foreward and whipped his wand out placing it over his heart in a smart auror's salute.

"Sah, yes Sah!"

"Platoon leader Evans, Ninth Company will be engaging Fifth Company and Seventh Company in maneuvers on the 18th of August, we need to appoint a Company Commander to lead this lot into victory against our sister companies. You are hereby volunteered, I mean appointed to that position."

The assembled troops chuckled at that.

The adjutant, a strikingly handsome woman who reminded Harry of his astronomy professor, came forward with Sergeant Major Moody who held a flat box. Opening the box revealed a gold braided cord.

Commandant Hayden held a scabbarded officer's sword and belt, his own.

The commandant spoke in a low voice, "Commander Evans, I wore this braid and this sword when I was the Company Commander training to go after Grindewald, I know you'll do them justice."

The two assistants affixed the golden braid so that it hung smartly over Harry's left shoulder. The older officer helped him affix the belt and sword about his waist.

Moody told Harry "there's stout and a late supper in the open mess, compliments of the Commandant, liberty weekend starts as of the close of this formation," then his grizzled and scarred face cracked a lopsided smile, "at your pleasure Commander."

Harry turned to face the assembled company.

"Avalon Ninth. Company. Attention!"

Two hundred and two pairs of heels clicked smartly together.

"Commandant Hayden's compliments, liberty weekend will commence at dismissal. Also, as we know you are going to do the Ninth proud during maneuvers the food is hot and the stout is cold; repair to the Open Mess." There was absolute quiet in the ranks when Harry shouted "Company - Dis-missed!"

Smythe shouted "Three cheers for Commander Evans!"

"Hip hip!"

"Huzzah!"

"Hip hip!"

"Huzzah!"

"Hip hip!"

"Huuzzzaaahhhh!"

Then the cheering throng descended on the open mess.

Harry followed the company to the mess which had been converted into a hall with tables and chairs lining the walls, he was congratulated and slapped on the back so much that he knew he'd have bruises the next day. He cornered Sergeant Major Moody and pointedly accused the grizzled old auror of setting him up for failure.

"Nonsense lad, I just thought you needed more manpower to release the lass from the DEs in that hole in the ground."

"Beg pardon?"

"You're the Company Commander now; you have access to the resources of all four platoons. Hell lad, y'could bring the cavern's roof down on the enemy with that much raw power."

"Wouldn't that be an abuse of my authority?"

"No lad, that'll be a use of your authority. Think about it. These lads and lasses are itchin' t' fight death eaters; you know where they're holed up. It's perfect."

"They're still trainees, they'd be slaughtered."

"Aye, that's a distinct possibility, but you can keep the body count down if yer smart about it. Use all the resources at yer disposal lad."

Harry knew that no Company Commander had sent newly trained troops against a ruthless enemy since the days of Grindewald. That had been Commandant Hayden's war. He spied the Commandant and begged a few minutes of the Old Man's time.

"Sir, I have my reservations about this commission, I mean, my aurors will do whatever I tell them, I know that. What happens when they don't follow orders and get killed? Worse, what happens when they do follow orders and get killed? How do I live with that?"

"Commander, you don't just live. You celebrate every victory, you mourn every unnecessary loss of life on both sides of the conflict; you honor their commitment and you never second guess a success, no matter what the cost."

Commandant Hayden took in his Company Commander's expression and put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Evans, why did you sign up?"

Harry didn't hesitate in his answer, "I have to be able to fight, I have to beat him."

"And why is that?"

"He killed my parents; he has made my life a misery. Mostly I have to put paid to his accounts because I can."

"Even at the cost of you your life?"

"Of course" Harry said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Evans, every man and woman in this regiment feels the same way. Look around you. Some of these fine young folk will not see the end of this year, they will die because of a maniac who knows he knows better than the rest of us who our friends can be, what jobs we're suited for and who's fit to live and who has to die because of an accident of birth."

Harry began to understand.

"Son, they signed up knowing they had a fair chance o' dyin'." Sergeant Moody interjected. "We're at war and people are dyin' all around us, they know that they might be next but their choice is to die for something. Something bigger than themselves, and like it or not, part of that 'something' is you."

"I'm not worth dying for . . ."

"Bullshit, you'd lay down your life for any one of them, right?"

"Yes."

"Then do them the courtesy of lettin' em decide who's worth livin' for and if needs be, dyin' for."

"Well said Sergeant Major!" Hayden rejoined, then with a "by your leave, gentlemen" excused himself.

Harry sought out Marietta and enjoyed her company and that of the other dedicated warriors in the hall. At nearly midnight he excused himself and started walking toward the Repple Flat.

"Um, Commander?"

Harry took just a moment before he realized she was talking to him, "Uh, yes?"

"You don't live there anymore."

"I don't?"

"No sir, you have a bungalow in officer's country."

"Oh, well, let me just pack and . . ."

"Already done Commander, this way if you please, sir." she led Harry to the far side of the compound to a high hedge, just past the flowering shrubs he saw neat rows of small houses with neatly trimmed lawns and signposts declaring the occupants. He found the one that read Cmdr James Evans and started up the walk. Marietta remained on the sidewalk.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"I can't, sir, officer's country is warded against us enlisted types – keeps the riffraff out."

Harry was obviously irritated by that, "Please don't do that; don't talk about yourself as if you are unimportant. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you"

Marietta just shrugged.

"Half a mo,' don't I rate a command staff?"

She nodded.

"Effective immediately, you are my right hand, my Lieutenant, with all the privileges and responsibilities that entails!"

Marietta squealed, ran and jumped into Harry's waiting arms wrapping her arms and legs around him, nearly toppling them both in the process.


	22. Chapter 21: Revelations

Chapter 21 – Revelations

The next morning Harry and Marietta soaked away the exertions of the previous night in a tub that was only slightly less opulent then the Prefect's bathtub at Hogwarts, as it would only hold four people if they were very friendly.

"I could get used to this" she sighed.

"Hmmm" he agreed nuzzling her hair with his nose. "Do you hear a cricket?"

"Yeah, sounds like its coming from the front room."

After a short time the volume and frequency of the chirping grew to truly annoying proportions.

"That's no cricket, it's a signaling mirror" he said as he slid out of the recessed tub onto the marble floor.

"Um, Commander, I think I'll stay here while you answer that."

"Yeah, probably a good idea" he agreed and padded out the door.

Harry picked up the handle of the chirping mirror and Moody's face swam into view.

"Commander, may I beg a personal favor, sir?"

"What is that Sergeant Major?"

"Could you please get dressed before you answer a mirror, sir?"

"Ah, I didn't think of that, just a tick here."

He put the mirror face-down on the table then threw on his dress cloak, complete with gold braid. Picking up the mirror he asked "better?"

"Yes sir, thank you sir. The reason I called, we need to use this time t' set up training for the company and plan for the drop-in on yer sprog."

Harry grinned, "Good idea, I'll let you be the one to break the news to the senior staff."

The old Sergeant Major laughed, "Such is the awesome burden o' command."

"Sergeant Major, I did a little research and I found that I can appoint an assistant. . ."

"That would be Lef' tenant Edgecombe, sir, I already submitted the paperwork on your behalf." Moody interrupted with a knowing smirk.

"Very good, Sergeant Major."

Friday afternoon Harry as Commander Evans called his staff together for the first time. He wore his dress cloak over a simple fatigue uniform; his lieutenant wore a similar uniform with a red braid indicating her rank and position. The four Platoon leaders were there, Prince from First Platoon, Smythe, the newly promoted Repple from Second Platoon, Usher and DiMaggio from Third and Fourth Platoons respectively. Sergeant Major Moody was in attendance as were Recruits Cruz and Morris. He gave each staff member a sobering draught and ordered them to drink it down. Then he handed each of them a flask of pepper-up potion. Lastly he poured a healthy shot of fifty year old Ogden's Finest Fire Whiskey in front of each of them and told them that they would know when they needed them.

He removed the blond glamour and wiped the concealer from his forehead and confessed to being in fact, Harry Potter. Two hands reached for the whiskey; he said "not yet."

He shared the prophecy with all of them, how he was the only one who could kill Voldemort, and that one of them had to die. And that he was training so hard so that he wouldn't be the one doing the dying. Three hands reached for the whiskey; he said "not yet."

He told them about the horcruxes, exactly how they were made and that he had to destroy them so that Voldemort would, in fact, die. In all four hands reached for the whiskey, he said "not yet."

He took a deep breath. "There is a prisoner in Blue John Caverns in Derbyshire, she is about two months pregnant and I have to get her out of there as soon as possible. Her name is Belle Black, she used to be Bellatrix Lestrange and the baby she is carrying is my unborn daughter."

No one had to be told "now," all six staffers downed the potent potable in a single swallow.

The next three days would find Harry and Marietta and the Recruit Platoon leaders from the 'Fighting Ninth' planning strategies for maneuvers and the assault on the Death Eater's stronghold.

That night Harry and Marie slept cuddled together as he visited Belle in her dungeon.

Harry and Belle had spent many an hour that week while sleeping or just relaxing feeling the bond grow and enjoying the feeling of 'connectiveness.' It wasn't yet to the point where they could communicate easily while fully awake, but a state of relaxation could put them in touch with each other to the point where they could 'talk.'

At Belle's request Harry 'uploaded' his own life experiences. He wasn't able to edit any of them so she experienced the abuse and neglect of his upbringing and the mercurial ups and downs of his life since entering the wizarding world.

When it was over Belle was speechless.

"Belle?" Harry asked aloud.

"Belle!" he nearly shouted in his sleep.

"I am here, Harry."

"I couldn't 'hear' you."

"My mind is in a very dark place right now, thinking of the things I will need to do to that wretched family that abused you and your fair-weather so-called 'friends.'"

"The Dursleys are in the past, I'm well shot of them, and I do have some good friends. Ron f'instance,"

"Ronald Weasley abandoned you from sheer jealousy when you were entered into the Tri-wizard tournament. And he was so content to be in that bint's knickers last year he wasn't any help to you at all, and you saved his life with that bezoar."

"He came around, and I have the brightest witch of her age. . ."

"Who couldn't see the obvious plottings of my deranged nephew last year, brightest witch indeed! And even you can see how horrible she was toward you over that damned book; she was jealous because you were using the book to your advantage. She hated that you didn't follow her interpretation of the rules, and worst of all you were out performing her. You do seem to have a talent for picking up jealous gits for friends."

He bristled a little at that and came back quickly with "I have my mates here in the 'Fighting Ninth."

"Yes" she agreed, "good friends, comrades."

"And Marie."

"That goes without saying."

"And Belle."

"Yes, Harry?"

"No. I mean you are a good friend."

Harry could feel profound emotion coming through the bond.

"Oh Harry, I wish it could be so."

"I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. Let me put it to you like this; Harry, how did you feel about me at the beginning of the summer?"

"I knew Bellatrix Lestrange was a cold blooded killer who delighted in the pain of others and needed to be put down like a rabid bitch."

"You see?" she asked.

"I do see. I see that was Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix Lestrange is dead. She died when Alexis Lily Potter Black drove all that was evil and accursed out of her. I recognize that you are Belle Black, and I am enjoying the chance to get to know the real you."

The emotional feedback was so powerful that Harry couldn't help but weep.

"Damn you Harry Potter, you of all people know how emotional pregnant women get, and then you have to be so, so unbelievably empathetic and look at the state of me!"

"I stand by what I said."

"Harry, when I get out of here you know that I'm just going back to Azkaban, don't you?"

He felt through her the despair that only one with memories of that dismal penitentiary could feel.

"No, you're not."

"I'm afraid they'll insist; imprisonment, and probably a dementor's kiss. Honestly Harry it's no less than I deserve. . ." then she thought of the child growing within her, the child that hadn't earned any place in that Hell on Earth, and felt icy panic in her chest. "Oh Harry, what about Alexis; what are we going to do? I can't have our baby in that place; I don't want her anywhere near that soulless rock!"

"No Belle, neither of you will be going there, she is innocence itself and you are not to be punished for the crimes of someone else. It's only because of you that we even have a chance to put paid to to that Dork Tosser. You are the mother of my child and I will die before I let anyone harm either one of you. This. I. Vow!"

The bright blue flash that enveloped both of them made a brilliant testament to the depth and sincerity of the wizard's vow.

Belle slept contentedly for the first time in months that night.


	23. Chapter 22:Defining Relationships

Chapter 22 – Defining Relationships

Harry woke the next morning feeling somewhat drained but refreshed; his bond with Belle had strengthened considerably from the force of his wizard's vow.

" _You are the mother of my child and I will die before I let anyone harm either one of you. This. I. Vow!"_

He reached over to gather Marietta into a snug morning cuddle but found that side of the bed empty. "Odd that," he thought, "Marie is normally a very heavy sleeper and enjoys a morning lie in and snuggle."

"Marie?" he called out, no answer.

He climbed out of bed, took down the robe from the bedpost and rolled it over his shoulders, then barefoot, padded into the kitchen's breakfast nook. He smelled fresh coffee and buttery croissants and realized he was ravenous.

Marietta lounged in one of the comfortable cushioned wicker chairs in her gown of emerald gossamer. She sat almost sideways; her legs curled under her. She was lost in thought and didn't hear Harry enter the kitchen.

"A knut for your thoughts?" he said

A startled "oh, you're up!" and she uncurled from the chair to give him a quick peck on the lips, then poured him a half-cup of coffee which he took gratefully.

"I missed you when I woke up, couldn't you sleep?" he asked as he grabbed a warm croissant from the platter.

"No, I had a good night's sleep, but when the sun came up I couldn't go back to sleep so I got up so as not to wake you – you looked very peaceful lying there." She smiled remembering the image.

"Why couldn't you go back to sleep?"

"Quite a lot on my mind."

"Care to share?" he asked, the concern evident in his eyes.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"Um, no. As I've never slept with anyone before you, no one has told me that."

"I've been listening in on your 'conversations' with Belle." She said, and it looked and sounded like an admission of guilt.

Harry didn't know what to say.

"Harry, you don't have to say anything."

Damn, he thought, how does she do that?

"Y'know, I wondered why, when Healer Dumphries told you that you were 'pregnant,' why you didn't feel the need to rush out and find your bonded mate? That should have been the first thing on your mind, but it wasn't. Do you remember what was?"

Harry thought, "Yeah, I wanted to find you, I wanted to tell you, to tell you that I . . ."

He was afraid how the words were coming out were not what he was trying to say, 'I don't want to lose you' sounded like he felt some degree of ownership, 'I need you' sounded like he was using her, 'I love you?' What did he know about love? Who in his life had shown him unconditional love other than his parents who died for him?

Marietta let the pregnant pause fill the air for a few moments then said, "I know. I actually do know; y'know?"

She took a deep breath then let it out and said, "I told you that night that whatever you want of me is yours Harry, whatever and however for as long as you'll have me."

Harry nodded and said "I remember."

"Harry, do we just _suck_ at relationships?"

"Beg pardon?"

"I mean, you and Cho, puleeze, she'd have driven you crazy with her constant need for attention and adoration. And my beloved 'Puff?' He binned me as rubbish my last year at school. And why, exactly did you break off with Ginny Weasley?"

"I didn't want her to be a target, I still don't."

"So why are we a couple?" She looked a little panicked "Are we a couple?"

Harry looked thoughtful. "I was crazy about Ginny, but something in the back of my head says she's got this hero image of me. I don't know I guess she never got over the 'hero of the wizarding world' thing. She's tough, mind you, but she hasn't had nearly the level of training that anyone in this platoon's had. I know she's wanting to be there wherever the action is, but she would just be someone the Dork Tosser could and would use against me, again." Remembering Marie's second question he smiled, "Yes, Luv, we are definitely a couple, would you like to get a tattoo?" he teased.

She felt the tension she had been feeling drain out of her, "how about something with hearts and flowers, or maybe a heart pierced by the Sword of Gryffindor?"

Her smile faded, "you're already bonded to someone with a tattoo."

And that brought them back to the point, the unspoken point of the conversation.

"Harry, tell me, how do you feel about Bellatrix Lestrange?"

"Well first, and this is very important, she isn't Bellatrix Lestrange anymore."

"No?"

"No."

And Harry told Marietta about Belle, and how, while still a child of sixteen she was married off to a much older wizard who twisted her mind and soul and how she had just come back into her own self since the conception of their daughter Alexis. Now she knew love and had a positive focus for her life.

"Um, I don't know a good way to say this so I'll just say it. Marie, every time, from the first night, y'know, the platoon party?

Marietta nodded, "go on."

"Every time we've made love Belle's been there, in my head, helping me, guiding me, giving me pointers on what to do, and when and, and . . ."

At this point the very last thing happened that Harry could have expected, Marietta exploded in laughter, pure unadulterated gut splitting hiccoughing mirth!

Tears streaming down both sides of her face Marietta finally got her breath under control enough to choke out, "Oh Harry, that's the worst chat-up line in the history of chatting-up 'I'm a lesbian, trapped in a, in a man's body!' And in your case it's twue, it's twue what they say!"

Marietta let out a very un-ladylike snort and dissolved into another fit of laughter, face down barely missing the croissant on the plate, pounding the table with her open palm.

Harry was horrified, he looked around for the signaling mirror thinking he needed to contact Healer Dumphries right away; Marietta had actually lost it.

"Oh Harry," she said, finally getting herself under some semblance of control, "it's not a bad thing; as a matter of fact it's better'n you know."

Harry looked puzzled but said "go on."

"Harry, a lot witches have other witches as lovers. It's like, a witch thing y'know?"

He looked confused but intrigued as she continued "d'you not know why I was such a bitch to you in your fifth year?"

He shook his head, eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline.

"It was because I was jealous. Cho needed comfort after, y'know, Cedric, and I tried to help her by being there for her and well, one thing led to another and we became lovers. Cho was my first; I had never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend before her and we were as close as two lovers could be. That's how I know about her need to be the center of constant attention, I didn't mind though; I was 'giddy' in love." She looked wistful "Goddess, what she can do with that tongue of hers. About that time along comes the "Boy Who Lived, Again" and suddenly I'm old news."

Understanding flowed into Harry by way of his link with Belle.

"I get it," he said, "No, really I do get it!"

It was Marietta's turn to look puzzled.

"The reason I didn't feel compelled to find my bondmate, was because she had already accepted my accepting you! She's giving me the word 'proxy,' does that mean anything to you?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then answered, "Indeed, it does. In some old wizarding families a witch will allow her husband to be 'taken care of' by proxy when the witch can't 'do her duty' to the Lord of the Manor."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that, it sounds, I dunno, kind of like sexual servitude or some such."

Marietta smiled and said, "Don't knock it unless you've tried it, and believe me when I say you have, Luv, you have."

Then she sidled up to him tugging on the belt of his robe and whispered, "Most proxy relationships are polyamorous, does that intrigue you m'lord?"

She could tell by his reaction that it did.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"Let me think, am I okay with having mind blowing sex with a man who actually does know what a woman wants because of the bond he shares with the other woman in his life?"

Marie pulled open his robe and sat him down on the chair, then kneeled so that she could bring him to a state of full readiness with her warm lips. Then lifting the edge of her gown she straddled his lap, enveloping him in the process. He leaned slightly back and she pistoned up and down with the vitality and exuberance of the youth she was.

"Oh Goddess yeah!" they all three said simultaneously.

ooo000ooo

In another part of the cavern Theodore Nott was going crazy with boredom, there had been no 'sport' for several days as the muggles in Derbyshire had instituted community watch programs and other safety and security measures since four secondary school girls had disappeared without a trace two weeks before. "That was a good time" he leered; it hadn't been a good time for the victims to be sure.

Then he remembered that old Rodolphus's widow was in the dungeon and could probably do with some company.

Harry and his Marie were enjoying a long luxurious shower, he was washing her back as she hugged him tightly, which allowed water to pool between her breasts, when she would lean back and the warm water would cascade down their bodies, they were both enjoying the 'waterfall game' when he paled and froze.

"What is it Luv?" Marietta could see the anxious look on his face.

"It's Belle and the baby, they're in danger."

"What can we do?"

"Get Cruz and two cover and concealment specialists; tell Cruz to bring his 'toys' and meet me back here in 15 minutes."

They both exited the shower with looks of grim determination.

Bellatrix had been 'showering' in her pitiful streamlet when she heard the grate open and the ladder descend. She had just put on her clean, dry robe when her visitor muttered "lumos" and a harsh white light flooded the pit.

"Well, aint this cosy n' chic?" a gruff male voice said.

The brogue belonged to Theodore Nott Sr. it was not a welcome sound.

"What do you want Nott?"

"Me? Nuthin,' I just thought you'd like a bit o' brekkers is all."

He placed what appeared to be a bacon sandwich on her bunk.

"Fer a dungeon you got this place lookin' homey."

"That was Healer Jones; he brought me a few creature comforts."

"He t'wernt no healer, in the end he couldn't do hisself any good; flat out told the Dark Lord he wasn't gonna cause the death o' nobody an' that he might as well let im' go f' sayin' so. The Dark Lord says, 'you think you can refuse me?' an Jonesy says, 'with me dyin breath' an' jus like that the Dark Lord kills im.' Jonesy did a service to His Darkness tha' night I tell ya, ain't nobody said "no" to the Dark Lord since."

Belle's grim resolve shattered at the news of the gentle healer's death. She sobbed and buried her face in her hands. Nott gathered her into a friendly hug and made soothing sounds even as he was fumbling to untie the knot at the front of her robe.

When she realized what the Death Eater was doing her first reaction was to scream and fight, but that would have only encouraged the potential rapist. She let her calculating mind take over.

"One of us has on entirely too many clothes" she said huskily.

"Right" he quickly agreed and, grinning like a lascivious baboon, began to disrobe. He pulled out his shirttails then lowered and stepped out of his trousers. Belle undid the tie at the front of her robe and opened it slightly to reveal that she was naked underneath, at least that was what Nott thought, what she was really doing was making sure her legs were unfettered so that she could kick as high and as hard as she possibly could.

ooo000ooo

As Belle prepares to 'split the uprights,' an Author's Note: I guess it's a common male fantasy to have a polyamorous relationship, so what can I say, I'm male. Although this is primarily a Harry/Bellatrix ship, let's just say Harry has a lot of love to go around. The line "It's twue, it's twue what they say!" is Madeline Kahn's immortal line from "Blazing Saddles."

Hang on Belle, the cavalry's commin!


	24. Chapter 23: Guess Who I Met on the Way O

Chapter 23- Guess Who I Met on the Way Out?

_"Ssseek the two-legged onesss, the warm onesss, then come back and sssay how many"_

The small reddish-brown adder nodded and slithered down the hole.

Harry, all but invisible in his Ghillie suit camouflage indicated to his team to wait. When the adder returned Harry started counting out small pebbles in rows of three. When he had placed four rows of three the snake said "_thisss many, in the great hole, the long hole isss an easssy crawl even for a warm two-legsss."_

Harry nodded and said thanksss then summoned a field vole to reward his scaly spy.

_"Eat well Sssai-hath Ssseck"_

He signed to Cruz to head over to the other hillock with his new 'toy.' Jose "Kit Carson" Cruz proved to be a firearms expert as well as a deadly fast and accurate spell caster. Last week the company had received, courtesy of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, four L 96 British Army Sniper Rifles. Cruz, after calibrating the scope and getting a short familiarization lesson from the squib RA sergeant, had put out a lit match at a distance of 500 meters. The sergeant was impressed; when Cruz combined the sniper scope with his wand he found he could accurately cast a spell at nearly twice that distance. Jose produced a narrow cutting beam that drilled a neat hole through a rock no bigger than a golf ball at 800 meters.

Harry's only concern was that Cruz might not be able to pull the trigger on a live human.

"If you have any reservations, tell me now, and I'll bring the RA sergeant."

"He can't help you if you need a spellcaster, Commander, I can do this." Jose insisted.

Just before they left for the caverns Harry surveyed his team. Jose was the sniper, Squad Leader Morris was Cruz's shield and concealment specialist, and lastly his own Lieutenant provided the same service for himself. Harry hadn't even considered leaving Marie behind, she was a nearly fully trained auror and would be an asset on this mission.

"This is a smash and grab, upset the hornet's nest but do not let them see you. If Voldemort appears use the emergency portkeys immediately. Do _not_ try to engage him; it would be suicide and none of us are authorized to kill ourselves."

They apparated to the auror checkpoint that had been set up earlier in the week, checking in with the regular auror on duty they found there had been no movement in or out of the cavern entrance for the past 30 hours.

"Something's up," the auror said, "I think they're planning to pack-up and go."

Harry moved his team to one of the vents that a careful review of the echo sounding maps had revealed three days before. Reaching into his sleeve he gently extracted the wriggling half-meter long sausage that was Sssai-hath Ssseck, an adder he had befriended the week before.

"You _do_ know that adders are poisonous, don't you Harry?" Marietta had asked.

"Only when they bite" he'd replied.

As they waited for the reptilian spy to return Harry had gone into the light trance-like state that allowed him to communicate with Belle.

"There will be a disturbance at the entrance of the caverns in thirty minutes; can you meet me at the portkey point?"

"Yes, please be careful." She replied.

Belle hadn't moved from her hiding place in the lower caverns since her encounter with Nott almost eleven hours before. Her near constant communications with Harry had made the wait bearable as she hunkered down inside the blanket, covered by the invisibility cloak. Again she blessed the memory of Alex Jones for providing her with the cloak. She allowed herself a satisfied smirk as she remembered the look on Nott's face after she had kicked his exposed 'bits,' hard, the look on his face was sheer and utter disbelief, as if to say "I can't believe you did that" so for good measure she kicked him again, only harder. He had whimpered and curled into a tight ball on the floor.

She took his wand, cloak and pants up the ladder with her, pulled up the ladder and then settled down in her present spot leaning back comfortably against a smooth limestone column waiting for all hell to break loose. She almost regretted the fate that awaited Theodore Nott for allowing her escape; almost.

"Harry!" she nearly shouted in her own head, "Harry, I'm out of the dungeon and hiding in the caverns but I may need help getting to the portkey point."

It had taken Harry five hours to assemble and equip his team, another three to run through the diversion scenarios and just under an hour to set up the emergency portkeys for the team and an extra for Belle when he found her.

Harry slipped out of his Ghillie suit and, dressed only in tight fitting flat black fatigues and crepe soled boots slid head-first down the air vent.

"Wide enough for a _two-legsss_, huh?" he groused as he had to wriggle to pass yet another tight spot on the way down.

Finally he emerged onto a steeply sloping limestone wall and slid silently down to the cavern floor. It took a few minutes for his eyes to fully adjust to the low light, he then took his bearings. The stone waterfall formation was to his right, he needed to go at least one level down, perhaps two to find Belle and his unborn child.

Keep to the shadows, look, listen; move quickly then freeze. Look, listen and move. He found a hooded grey robe draped across a seat in a side chamber so he threw it on and put up the concealing hood. Then he walked with purpose to the passage leading downward. Harry fully understood the concept of social camouflage, if you look like you belong, and are in a hurry, no one will stop you. On the second level he spied what he was looking for, a stalagmite that looked as though it had formed from salt. Next to it another grey robed figure stood guard.

"Are you my relief?" the guard asked.

"Yeah, go get summat t' eat." Harry replied gruffly.

"Well, you keep yer eye on 'Lot's Wife' here, I'm off!"

Harry stretched out his senses hoping to sense Belle or his little one. Down there? No. over there? No. How about? No. In spite of his frustration he calmed himself to reestablish the link.

"Belle?"

"I'm in the side tunnel" she replied "up against a stone column. There are three people between me and the portkey point.

"Two, actually, the guy standing guard on the portkey spot is your's truly." Harry smiled and waved.

"Thank the Goddess, now we need to get these others out of the way." Her relief was almost palpable.

"Five minutes more, how are you? How is little Alexis?"

"Mother and child are fine now thank you, how is the expectant father?"

"Funny thing about that, I think I'm retaining water, my ankles are swollen and my breasts are very tender. Why do men have breasts, anyway? Oh and I've had the weirdest cravings, sardines f'instance, I never liked sardines before. And any kind of canned meat, but only fried. I wanted Spam and eggs f' brekkers this morning. How about you?"

"Oh, the porridge was cold and could have stood a bit of garnish but it was filling and the water was fresh and clean." She mused.

"When we get you out of here I'm going to make you a proper meal, anything you want."

"Let's start with coffee and croissants, and then take it from there, all right?"

"Whatever you say Luv, let's just get you out of here."

Outside Cruz was sighting in on the old mine's pulley assembly. If he hit it just right the block and tackle would fall and shatter taking the old miners cart and several metal miners' implements would go rolling through the entrance of the cavern hopefully making a terrible racket. He worked the noiseless bolt assembly to chamber the 7.62 mm round, sighted in on the links that held the block and tackle in place and squeezed the trigger. The single report of the rifle was quickly drowned out by the clamor of metal on metal and glass echoing through the hills as several displays loosened by the sudden shift of tension on the support frames fell crashing and banging over. A miners cart went careening into the main cavern.

Inside the caverns the racket was deafening. Harry turned to look in the direction of the noise when the other two robed figures ran past him. The one in the black robe pointed at Harry and shouted, "You stay at your post or it's your guts f' garters!"

"Aw' right, aw' right!" Harry grumbled back.

As they ran off Belle whipped off the invisibility cloak ran to and grabbed Harry in a fierce hug and sobbed, "I knew you'd come, oh I knew you'd come!"

Harry hugged her with equal enthusiasm then held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, those dark eyes that he had lost himself in at the beginning of the summer and asked, "are you all right?"

"I'll be better as soon as we're shot of this place!"

He took the emergency portkey from his side pocket.

"Okay, on three, two, one."

Nothing.

No pull behind the navel, no sound like a rushing wind, nothing. Then something; the ear shattering sound of a klaxon horn.

"_Merde_, they warded the spot; they knew I'd try to leave this way!" Belle cried.

"How did you come in?" she implored.

"Air vent, first level; and before you ask, too steep to climb out; but maybe, just maybe, quick we need your cloak"

Having said that Belle threw the invisibility cloak over them and they moved swiftly and silently to the far cavern wall to begin inching their way out.

They had moved just in time as two black cloaked figures fired killing curses at the white pillar in hopes of foiling an attempted escape.

Slowly, carefully they edged their war up the narrow corridor stifling a gasp as the cloaks of Death Eaters brushed them in the close confines. As they entered the main cavern the dust hadn't yet settled, and for two people in an invisibility cloak that is not good, because where you _don't_ see dust there will be someone trying to stay invisible.

Still keeping close to the wall Harry was frantically looking for the door that would lead to the small cottage at the entry point for the caverns.

"You three," a familiar voice rang out, "check outside, see if anyone is about; if so bring them back, alive!"

Harry was frozen in anger; the voice was his old potion's master and the man who murdered Albus Dumbledore.

That greasy git, Snape.

ooo000ooo

Just for grins I decided to give the snake a unique mathematical perspective, in the world I've envisioned snakes have math skills and can count using base three (hence the rows of three) so four rows of three would be 12 in our base ten, but in base three it would be 110, remember the only digits in base three would be 0, 1 and 2, so counting the rows: (1,2,10 then 11,12,20 followed by 21,22,100 and finally, 101,102,110). I know, I know, too much free time on my hands. . . It just seemed a good way to drive home the completely alien nature of the reptilian mind. So not only does Harry understand Parselmouth, he also understands Parselmath.


	25. Chapter 24: Echos in the Hills

Chapter 24 – Echoes in the Hills

_Harry was frozen in anger; the voice he heard was that of his old potion's master and the man who murdered Albus Dumbledore._

_That greasy git, Snape._

Belle gripped Harry's arm and started to hiss in his ear "he's not worth getting us caught" but found she didn't have to vocalize at all, what she was thinking and what she felt flowed into him at the speed of thought.

"Please," she beseeched him, "think of Alexis!"

She didn't need to see him nod his head, she could feel his acquiescence.

The three Death Eaters - two marked and one novice hurried to the recessed door as ordered by Snape. Harry and Belle, secreted by their invisibility cloak, followed. Just as the door opened he silently summoned the glass display case at the far end or the main cavern, or rather just the top of the case, causing it to fall forward and shatter spectacularly; effectively recreating the chaos of a few moments before.

When they exited the cavern it was near sunset, long shadows stretched out from the feet of the three Death Eaters.

"Oi, Erk" shouted one of the black robed DEs, "stay inside the wards."

"Right!" the grey robe replied.

Harry and Belle knew they had to move away from the cave entrance to apparate or portkey away. They headed away from both the cavern entrance and the black robed Death Eaters.

"Stupefy!"

Harry felt Belle go limp next to him; he carefully guided her down to the ground while circumspectly keeping the cloak in place over them both.

"Wot ya got heah?" one of the DEs asked.

"I ain't sure, I saw the grass go flat out the corner o' my eye like someone was walkin' on it so I sent a stunner, lets check it out!"

Both black robes had their wands out and were cautiously moving toward Harry and Belle.

"I think I got im!" the first man said, "look the grass is all flat here like summat's lyin' on it!"

Both men raised their wands to start cursing when half the first man's head exploded in the same direction he was facing, a little more than half a second later the report of a high-powered rifle echoed through the hills. The second man had only a second to stand gawping before a neat hole appeared in his forehead and he collapsed to the ground. The grey robe threw his wand down and raised both his hands in surrender.

One minutes earlier.

José Cruz sighted in on the visible trio "_tu madre es una fea puta!_" he swore under his breath.

He was watching the front entrance to the cavern through the telescopic sight of his rifle. He saw the three DEs walk out, then saw the door open of its own volition. He could see the long grass being flattened by invisible footsteps. He had been briefed to look for any signs of invisible or disillusioned people. He knew when the lead DE had seen them, saw the curse and then saw the two black robes move toward the flattened grass. He took a deep breath let out half of it while sighting on the first target. He held his breath and with a smooth, continuous motion gently squeezed the trigger. He didn't bother to see if he had hit his target, he drew back the bolt ejecting the spent casing and chambered another round then sighted in on the other DE, but rather than fire the L 96 he touched the wand that was also affixed to the rifle scope and whispered "diffindo." A narrow white beam neatly holed the other man's skull. He watched as Commander Evans, (he still couldn't get his brain around the idea that this was Harry Potter) as Commander _Potter_ doffed the cloak and enervated Bellatrix Lestrange. That was the other thing he couldn't quite get used to, that murdering psycho was one of the 'good guys' now?

"_Chingas tu madre!" _he muttered to himself.

"I'll just keep an eye on things til' they portkey away, then we're outta' here" Cruz whispered. His partner, Morris nodded in agreement and rechecked the concealing charms on them.

Lieutenant Edgecombe heard the shot and did the hardest thing she had ever done, she followed orders and took the portkey back to base.

Harry threw off the cloak and leveled his wand at the man in the novice robe.

"Lie down flat and spread your hands and feet!" he growled.

The grey robe quickly complied.

Harry kept his eyes on the prone figure as he enervated Belle. She was a little groggy but otherwise unharmed.

"Shite" he swore "I wanted to keep this covert, now they'll know we were out here."

Belle shook her head and said "no, we're all right, just transfigure these two and obliviate that one."

She took the wands off the bodies and transfigured them into dense spikes which she drove into the rocky ground with her heel.

"Won't that be messy when the spell wears off?"

"It won't wear off, what I transfigure stays that way unless I restore it."

Harry remembered Professor McGonagall describing just such a phenomenon in transfiguration class the previous year. Perhaps one in a thousand mages is born a 'crafter,' that is, someone who can permanently transfigure an object. Most transfigurations last from a few minutes to a few days depending on the skill and power of the witch or wizard casting the spell. The skill can be learned but most magical folk find it easier to find a crafter to perform permanent transfigurations for them.

"You!" she called to the man still lying on the ground, "look up so I can obliviate you!"

The man kept his face down in the dirt and grass and said "Arrest me! Jail me, I don't care, just take me with you!"

"Why?"

"I never wanted t' be in with this lot. I just took one too many pints at the 'Hags Hump' in ol' Knockturn Alley and I was shanghaied I tell ya, shanghaied!"

"Did you know Jones, the healer?" She asked; her heart wrenching as it usually did when she thought of him.

"Yeah, we was mates Jonesy an' me! He din't wanna be here neither!"

"Where do the wards end?" Harry demanded.

"You have ta go past that tree line there," he nervously pointed, barely lifting his head and hand, to a spot maybe fifteen meters to their left, "about five paces in should do it, please, can I get up?"

Belle needed to know that if she could help someone out of this Hell, maybe in some small way that would begin to repay Alex Jones.

"Up you, and lead the way" she told the prostrate man

"Yes ma'am, thankee ma'am!"

The grey robe scurried up and walked quickly to the tree line. As they neared the scrubby forest neither Harry nor Belle saw his hand dart into his robe sleeve. Just before they got to the trees he spun on them pointing a wand at Belle's neck.

"Don't move, either of you, drop em!" he demanded.

"So much for being shanghaied" Harry spat.

"Oh, theys them that din't want t' join up, I'll give you a hint, anyone gets picked up in Knockturn Alley wasn't lookin' f' honest work. An' anyone at the _Hag's Hump_ is even less likely to be so."

"I'll give you one chance to surrender, that's all, just one. Put your wand down now and you'll live." Harry said in a matter of fact voice that was chilling in its sincerity.

The man wavered for just a moment and said, "bluffin,' you're jus' bluffin."

Harry shrugged and said "I tried."

The top of the man's head disappeared in a fine red mist, and two-thirds of a second later another rifle report echoed through the mountains.

Harry took a page out of Barty Crouch Junior's book and transfigured the body into a bone then did a quick levitation charm on a three foot square section of dirt and rock. He kicked the bone into the hole and let the earth fall back into place.

"Let's try the portkey again" he said, "on three, ready? Three, two, one."

The familiar pull behind the navel the feel of air rushing all around them and they were back at Headquarters, Avalon Regiment.

They arrived at the portkey debriefing point last; Marietta, José and Tina had just arrived. The newly minted sniper looked more than a little sick. Sergeant Major Moody was there as were a half dozen regular aurors all pointing their wands at Belle.

"All right, José?"

He nodded and asked, "Any chance of a drink?"

"Sergeant Major?" Harry asked.

Moody reached into his left pocket and pulled out a small silver flask, which he passed over to Cruz.

José took a long pull from the flask and handed it back to the RSM nodding his thanks.

Harry looked at the aurors who were still holding their wands on Belle. "Gentlemen, please lower your wands, it's rude."

"Commander, I don't think you know who this is." One of the aurors answered.

"Auror, I know far better than you who this lady is and if you don't all lower your wands I will lower them for you."

The authority of his voice, not to mention his rank and position had the desired result.

"Lady Black is under my personal protection, she will be debriefed but only in my presence. She has a delicate medical condition that proscribes any form of magic use on or around her. She will be in the guest room of my quarters and will be escorted at all times by either myself or Lieutenant Edgecombe or Sergeant Major Moody or one of our deputies. We are going to get cleaned up; in two hours we'll meet back here for debriefing. Sergeant Major, please have a representative from the department of mysteries present for our testimonies."

Moody and the regular aurors stood at attention as Moody said, "Aye sir."

Harry in his guise as Commander Evans and his Lieutenant escorted their 'prisoner' to his quarters. As soon as the door closed Marietta threw herself into Harry's arms and cried. "I was so worried; I just knew it had all gone bollocks!"

"It did Luv, it did. Like the Commandant always says, no battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy."

"Actually, Helmuth von Moltke, the elder said that." Belle interjected. She looked down at the two lovers embracing and said "I'll just go clean up."

Harry sensed the awkwardness permeating the air and keeping an arm tightly around his Marie he opened his embrace to include Belle.

"Please?" he implored.

She fell into their embrace and felt the weight of her torture and captivity and uncertainty come crashing down. Harry felt the depth of emotion through his connection with Belle and Marietta could feel the sobs wracking the two bodies clinging to her like an anchor. They all fell to their knees hugging and crying and kissing the tears out of each other's eyes.

"Merlin we must be a sight!" Marietta exclaimed after a long while. "What if someone walks in on us?"

"No one can, unless I set the wards to let them and as of now the only authorized people in the house are right here in this room.

"May I have a bath?" Belle entreated, "I haven't had a proper bath in three weeks! What you both must think of me."

She was surprised to see warm, generous smiles on both Harry and Marietta.

"Harry sees you through the eyes of love, the love he has for the mother of his daughter, and I see you through his eyes, because," she hesitated as she looked into Harry's eyes, she had never truly loved anyone before as deeply and completely as she loved him and she was afraid he wouldn't be able to return the feeling, but soldiered on, "because I love him."

Harry was shocked. No one had ever told him that. Oh sure, his mother must have, but he had been too young to remember ever hearing it. Belle could feel his emotions and hear his disjointed thoughts as he considered his depth of feeling for all his friends. He loved all his friends, Ron, his brother in all but blood, Hermione as something like a sister but wanting her to be so much more, Ginny, the porcelain princess that he yearned to shelter and protect, Molly the suffocating overbearing mother or as she had once said, 'as good as.'

Then he considered his feelings for Marietta, he didn't want to consider a future that didn't include his Marie, and when he thought of Belle it was with an even deeper sense of longing for belonging, not just as the incubator of his child but for her own depth of feeling and character. He was confused, shouldn't he just be with one woman, didn't society frown on polyamorous relationships?

"Harry" Belle 'said' "don't worry about 'society,' most of the people who rule society whether muggle or magical are in some kind of pre-marital or extra marital relationship."

"I don't know about that" he said, honestly.

"Please believe me when I say it's more official in wizarding society and more practiced in muggle; and that feeling, the one you're having such a hard time accepting?"

He nodded, looking hopeful.

"I love you too" she said and kissed him as thoroughly as she knew how, pouring all the feeling she could into it.

Harry felt the love of both these women and realized he felt the same way about them, the revelation was staggering.

"Marie" Belle happily announced, "I have great news," pointing at Harry "he's got it!"

The 'whoop' that followed echoed through all the rooms of the Commander's house and out onto the parade field.

Sergeant Major Moody who happened to be outside at the time smiled when he heard it and recognized Edgecombe's voice.

"Harry, aren't you and your lieutenant supposed to be 'debriefing' me about now?"

Belle and Marietta gave each other significant looks that spoke volumes, the raised eyebrow the nod the longing glances in the general direction of the bedroom and bath.

"Okay!" Harry jumped up with obvious enthusiasm.

Belle dropped her forehead onto her open palm and said, "Marie, we can't use our feminine wiles on this one, he's inside my head. He knows what we're saying when we're not saying anything."

Harry stood and helped both ladies to their feet then walked them into the master bath. He knelt down to start the multiple faucets that would fill the small pool sized bath quickly. When he got up he saw Belle with her robe open and froze. She was radiant! Eight weeks of pregnancy had filled out her breasts, her areola already darkening and pronounced. She was still somewhat emaciated from her weeks of captivity but the jailers had at least not starved her, the Dork Lard would not permit that. Her belly was flat; apparently she wouldn't be 'showing' for a few more weeks her waist remained wasp like. She had very long, well toned legs ending in petite feet. Harry was entranced, as was Marietta.

She kept her robes draped on her shoulder and walked to the far side of the sunken tub, then facing Harry and Marie she allowed the robe to fall to the floor and stepped into the rapidly filling tub.

"Won't you join me?"

Harry, still in his flat black fatigues and boots undressed unhurriedly as did Marietta, when the two young adults were completely nude it was Belle's turn to stare. They were both _gorgeous_. Fit and trim and completely at ease with each other's bodies. Of course, with bodies like theirs they had nothing to be self conscious about. Harry had the build of a champion swimmer and his 'block and tackle' was _very_ well proportioned for his body, and did Marie have any idea how her fresh-faced athletic beauty just oozed with sensuality? Her breasts were again perfectly proportioned for her body and sat perky and proud on her young athlete's frame. Both of them had shaved or charmed their pubic hair off.

"Morgana, Merlin and Maeve, I may not survive being with you two, but that would be the way to go!"

Harry slid into the tub and Marie followed close behind. They sat so that the water was up to their shoulders and slid toward Belle in a pincer movement.

"Ah, I'm being out-flanked I see."

"Oh yes Luv, we're planning to 'flank' you cross-eyed tonight!"

They all laughed at that and Harry and Marie converged on Belle to recapture her in the three way embrace they had enjoyed before. This time it would be even better, it would be a warm, wet, slippery "bare hug."

Harry's left hand and Marietta's right hand stroked Belle's back at the same time, and at the same time they recoiled in shock at what they felt. They felt the crisscross of scar tissue on her back and were horrified at the evidence of her torture.

Belle stiffened and with a great deal of dignity stepped up out of the tub leaving the shocked teens behind, "I'll just be in the shower then."

Having said that she walked into the large twin nozzle shower stall, she turned the nozzles on full and began to sob at the awful truth of her life, she was unlovable; she had been rejected by the first and only people in her miserable life she had dared to love.

ooo000ooo

"Erk" is a Britishism for "rookie"

"_tu madre es una fea puta!_" translates to "your mother is an ugly bitch"

"_Chingas tu madre!"_ let's just say it's one of the rudest things to say about someone's mother. What is it about mother cursing anyway?

A standard NATO 7.62 mm has a muzzle velocity of 848 mps and the speed of sound is 311 mps; if the rifle report is 2/3 of a second after impact the range would be approximately 300 meters. Good job José! I have known shooters who could make a head shot at 300 meters on a bad day. I myself shot combat .45s in competition while in the Army; I have the photos (and used to have the medals and trophies) to prove it. The real irony here; I hate guns, I am about as anti-gun as you can get. Guns belong in the hands of soldiers and policemen and not in the hands of idiots who think they're neat toys. You should demonstrate a real need for a gun and pass a written and a practical test before you are allowed to own one. Of course, I also believe that people shouldn't be allowed to have babies until and unless they are able to prove that they can care for them. Those are my opinions, feel free to disagree. Won't change my views though, don't bother to try, the facts are definitely on my side.

"No battle plan ever survives the first engagement with the enemy" is a translated quote form Helmuth von Moltke, the elder, a 19th century Prussian Field Marshall considered by many to be the most brilliant military strategist in history.


	26. Chapter 25: The Nature of Soul Magic

Chapter 25 – The Nature of Soul Magic

_. . . she walked into the large twin nozzle shower stall, she turned the nozzles on full and began to sob at the awful truth of her life, she was unlovable; she had been rejected by the first and only people in her miserable life she had dared to love._

Harry and Marietta were just coming out of their shock when they realized the damage they had just done. Belle's fragile psyche had endured so much in recent weeks this might very well have been the proverbial straw.

"I've got to go to her" they both said at the same time, then smiled at their synchronized speech.

Harry entered the shower first, Belle, who had obviously been crying said "Oh, do you need the shower now?"

"No, I need my Belle now, please?"

Her usually beautiful face contorted in sorrow, "you are disgusted by me, don't deny it, you know you can't lie to me!" she all but howled in anguish.

"You're right Belle. I can't lie to you, and I never will. I am disgusted, I am disgusted that one human being could do this to another, I am disgusted that I would feel justified in doing the same thing to the bastard who did this to you. I am not disgusted with you. I am shocked at how bad your scars are, but I am not horrified to be with you. I know you know I'm telling the truth, now, please?"

Harry opened his arms inviting Belle into his loving embrace. She shrank back. Marietta's face appeared through the steamy mist over Harry's shoulder.

"Belle" she said, "I'm not disgusted by you; I'm shocked for the pain you've had to bear. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have to endure it and I promise you, I will not let anyone hurt you again if it is in my power to prevent it. _This I vow!_"

In the muggle world words are thrown around like so much chaff. Curses are laid upon the heads of those who would pull out in front of you in traffic; promises are made and conveniently broken on the flimsiest of excuses. In magic societies words are used to shape the world, a vow is a vow upon magic where one's magic is forfeit if the vow is broken or a vow is a vow on your very life. It was as though Belle was five years old again, and she needed the comfort and closeness of the ones she knew loved her and crying tears of longing she fell into the arms of those who did, unconditionally.

Understanding, healing and forgiveness worked a special magic on them that evening, they knew that they would never be alone again.

They led the still sobbing Belle out of the shower and into the embrace of warm soft towels, as one embraced her the other gently dabbed the water away. When she was dry they continued to minister to her with hands and lips.

Harry and Marietta caressed the welts and valleys that were Belle's back and buttocks each one kissing her face, her lips her neck and very gently her breasts, for Harry, still feeling the sympathetic magic of their shared pregnancy, knew they were tender. Loving hands led her to the large four poster in the master bedroom and laid her down between them.

"Love me, my beloveds" she implored, "make me forget where I end and you begin, make us one for now."

Four hands expertly caressed her, Marie from behind and Harry from the front. He kissed her gently until she reacted with wanton hunger, her mouth open as wide as she could, her tongue probing as deeply as it could and Harry realized that she expected the opposite of tender loving care, she wanted, perhaps craved a rough, mindless fuck.

"Belle," Harry whispered "my beloved Belle, come back to us, please, come back."

And she did, she realized that this wasn't just fucking, this was making love, and while there were aspects of rutting involved it was first and foremost an expression of unconditional love and affection.

"Oh Harry, Marie, please make love to me, make me whole for the first time."

And the realization hit her, that, for the first time in her life she was making love, she was in a very real sense, like a virgin. She rolled onto her back, pulling Harry on top of her so that she could caress his lithe, muscular form, knead his tight ass and feel his impressive erection settle on her abdomen while he kissed her completely.

Marie seemed to sense what Belle needed more than anything at that point was to have him deep inside. As Harry slid slightly back Marie guided him into Belle's wet and more than ready center. All three of them groaned as he bottomed out against her dark, wet curls. Belle raised her knees and locked her ankles against the small of his back as he raised up on his arms to look at her beautiful face, her unbelievably large deep, dark eyes which looked back at him with complete adoration. He could see his reflection in those eyes and it seemed he would fall into their depths.

"Don't stop, lover" Marie whispered, and he realized he was so busy worshiping those beautiful eyes that he had stopped moving, so he began the slow stroke, steady and luxurious so that Belle could feel every centimeter of him; she was nearly vibrating with pleasure. She pushed back at him urging him to move faster and faster still until they must have looked like a flesh and blood locomotive on the king sized bed.

As Harry began to pound into Belle in earnest Marie spoke in a voice that was just above a whisper in the other woman's ear "isn't he magnificent, I want you to watch him when he does me next, you know he can, he has stamina enough for three of us."

Belle groaned at the picture forming of yet another bondmate entering their family, Marie continued in her normal voice "I want you to be there when he makes me pregnant too," Belle began to scream her release and Harry growled like a jungle cat as he rode her to completion. Marie continued in Belle's ear "I want you to see it happen because you're going to be as much a mother to my child as I will be to yours. We are family; we will always love each other."

Harry rolled onto his side, pulling Belle with him. Marietta slid in behind her and the three of them embraced and cried from the sheer joy they felt at that moment. At some point Belle said "Harry, you've not finished yet."

Harry replied, "It's not about me, beloved, it's about you."

"Marie," she said, "I must be slipping, I haven't satisfied _our_ man."

"Not to worry, Belle" she smirked, "this is just the tea interval, and he's only just begun!"

"Oh bless the Goddess for the stamina of a teen aged man!" Saying this Belle rolled Harry onto his back and, still enveloping him, began to slide up and down his body, rubbing his chest with her very sensitive breasts and nipples, stroking his shoulders and neck with her luxuriant hair while riding him to yet another peak.

"Merciful Maeve, sweet baby Merlin on a bike; come for me mon chéri, come for me!" as she was saying (or rather screaming) this she was squeezing him with the muscles of her lower abdomen so that he felt as if he were being milked.

"Harry," Marietta whispered in his ear, "let go, I know you'll still have enough for me, but she needs this right now, let go and go ahead and make a little noise, trust me."

Harry's shouts of "ah, ahhh, ahhhhhhrg!" and the warmth of his finishing inside her combined to give Belle a climax that registered on the Richter scale. She fell forward onto his chest and panted, "love . . . love . . . be . . . loved . . . beloved, oh my be, my beloveds . . ."

For the next hour or so they filled the chasm that had been Belle's loveless life with promises to keep filling her until she was whole at last.

"My beloveds" Harry mused, "I love the sound of that, the rightness of it; my beloveds."

Marietta had the sad duty to remind them that they were due back at headquarters in the next fifteen minutes.

Both Harry and Belle groaned as they rolled out of bed. Harry and Marietta dressed in simple fatigues under their cloaks of rank, Belle in a simple but elegant dress robe of deep green velvet. Her midnight black hair had been dried and plaited the long braid draped forward over her left shoulder. Her feet were encased in simple velvet slippers that she managed to make look elegant as she presented herself for inspection.

"I had planned to wear that for you at our next regimental function, but it looked so good on Belle I gave it to her. She refuses to wear black robes anymore."

"My Lady Black, you are so beautiful; if I may?" he offered his arm and she took it as though she were attending a dress ball rather than the first of a long series of interrogations.

Sergeant Major Moody met the trio coming into RHQ and escorted them to the interviewer's office. "just a word of advice sir, ma'ams" he said in a sotto voice. Harry nodded for him to go on, "ye might try silencing charms in the future, there might and I mean _might_ be someone on the base that didn't hear the animal noises coming from the Commander's bungalow just a little while back; but I'm doubtin' it."

The two teens were scandalized and scarlet faced, Belle just raised one eyebrow and nodded her understanding.

A middle aged wizard in nondescript robes walked into the office and sat at one end of a table in one of four chairs. "Commander, this is Mister Smith from the Department of Mysteries. No transcriptions will be made from these interviews and a geas will be placed on all present to prevent recording of any kind, magical or muggle. I will not be needin' to sit in on this one" the last part was said with just a bit of rancor.

Mister Smith was as unremarkable as it was possible for a human to be, he had a face that looked like someone everybody knew. Hair color was maybe blond maybe light brown, he had no distinguishing features.

"Mister Potter, I presume?" even the man's voice was nondescript, a pleasant baritone but otherwise indistinguishable from many other voices.

Marietta bristled, "that's Commander to you, Smith."

"Indeed?" the unspeakable raised one eyebrow.

"Doesn't matter what name he goes by, he's earned his rank."

"Apologies, Lieutenant. Please take your seats, Lieutenant Edgecombe, Commander Potter, Mrs. Lestrange."

"Miss Black, please, or Belle. Bellatrix Lestrange is dead" Harry said in an even voice as he held the chairs for each of the ladies in turn.

"As you say, Commander; how can we in the Department of Mysteries help you?"

"Mister Smith, what do you know of horcruxes?"

Harry Potter made history that day as he told the story of Voldemort's quest for immortality and the lengths he had gone to in his pursuit of it. Belle told of her nightly visits to Harry while she was still in the thrall of the Dark Lord, and what the reptilian bastard's plans were for their newborn baby girl. He and Belle told of the locations of the known horcruxes and the name of the petty thief who probably had possession of the remaining one. Harry made history as the first and only person to elicit an emotional response from an unspeakable.

When they finished Mister Smith sat back in his chair and said "Oh bloody fuckin' Hell!"

"We can take out the Dark Tosser, but the horcruxes have to be destroyed first, and time is of the essence. Sooner or later he's going to realize that his guarantors of immortality are disappearing and he'll go to ground for a couple of centuries or begin a bloodbath that will make Grindelwald's rein of terror look like a, to use your phrase, a bloody fuckin' picnic."

Mister Smith sat forward in his chair, rubbed his hands together as if eager to begin and asked again "how can we help?"

"First, we need immunity for Miss Black, a fresh identity so that she can start anew."

Even though Harry said 'she,' Belle recognized through their bond that 'she' meant 'we.' "Bellatrix Lestrange must be believably dead in the eyes of the world."

"Second, we need you to pick up one Mundungus Fletcher, a petty crook who probably has Slytherin's locket. We'll convince him to give it up." Harry said with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Third," he looked at Belle with love and longing in his eyes, "can we get rid of that bloody tattoo?"

Mister Smith looked crestfallen at the last request.

"Commander" he said sadly, "we have had repentant Death Eaters who have tried removing the Dark Mark with no success. Removing the skin won't work, the mark will simply move to another spot. One man even amputated his own arm and the tattoo reappeared on his remaining one. The dark mark is not ink on the skin, its dark soul magic. I know this better than most unspeakables for you see, soul magic is my specialty."

"Mister Smith, I am bonded to this woman, I've been in Belle's soul, there is no darkness there, our baby has driven it out of her."

"I'm very sorry Commander, the darkness is not gone, it's just overshadowed by the purity of the innocence of your unborn child."

"What are you saying, Mister Smith?" Belle asked; the apprehension clearly evident in her voice.

"Voldemort has no power over you, at this time, but the moment your baby is born, at the very moment the umbilical cord is cut, the dark soul magic will re-assert itself. Voldemort will again dominate your soul, Bellatrix Lestrange will return."

A pall descended over the group, each person was lost in their own thoughts, mostly dark.

Finally Belle spoke "I love you Harry, and I love you Marie, but I will die before I let that happen" she said in a calm, clear voice. "Alexis will be born, and if you love our daughter, if you truly love me you'll let me cut my own throat at the same time you cut the cord."

"No, Belle" Harry replied, "the blood magic that tied you to your husband has been broken; you are your own person now."

Her voice remained calm, but the tears filling her eyes betrayed her breaking heart, "I'm sorry my love and my lord, but Mister Smith is correct, Voldemort's dark soul magic is too strong for me, I can't fight him."

Everyone in the room understood at that moment that there was nothing she loved more than her bond-mates, her redeemed life, however short it might be, and her daughter to be.

Marietta seemed to hit on something and quickly asked "what if there isn't a Voldemort to try to control her soul?"

Harry perked up immediately, "hey, that's right, no Voldemort no one connected to the mark, right?"

They all looked at Smith, hope burning in their eyes.

"Grindelwald had marked followers, when Dumbledore defeated him in 1945; their marks burned white hot for a few seconds then went out. Left pretty ugly scars I can tell you and the smell of burning flesh was nearly overwhelming."

"Did it kill his followers?" Marietta asked.

"Most of them, yes, but Grindelwald's mark was taken over the heart, not on the arm."

Belle sat straight in her chair "I can endure it, even if it takes my whole arm it'll be worth it to be rid of that _reptile!_"

"Mister Smith, Miss Black will remain in our 'custody' until her immunity can be made official. She is fully cooperating in the prosecution of Voldemort at great personal risk to herself and deserves our protection." Harry was clearly not making a request.

"Commander, I believe I can speak for the ministry in this matter, Mrs. Lestrange will be declared legally dead, the certificate of death counter-signed by two auror officers, Miss Black, who bears an unfortunate resemblance to her 'distant cousin' will be under the protection of those same officers until further notice." Smith, for the first time in years, smiled. "Will that be satisfactory, Commander?"

Harry smiled warmly in return, "Very satisfactory, Mister Smith."

The unspeakable stood and said, "I was never here, this conversation never took place, but everything will happen as I have said, on my magic I so swear."

A rush of wind from the displaced air of a portkey and Mister Smith was gone.

"Commander, Lieutenant, may we please retire, it has been a very long day and I believe you promised to, what was it you said? Oh yes, 'flank me' cross-eyed."

They all but ran back to the bungalow where Belle dragged Marietta into the bathroom as she urged Harry to "soyez patient mon chéri." Harry understood, 'to be patient.'

When they emerged from the bath both ladies were wearing matching diaphanous hunter green night gowns that were short enough to reveal the tops of their thighs. The gowns were held together by a single small bow just below their beautiful breasts. As they prowled toward Harry he could see that Belle had charmed the hair off her beautiful mound, with a slight difference. Just above her pudenda she had left just enough short hairs to form a small "H" pattern.

Harry loved it.

He showed her just how talented he could be with his prehensile tongue.

Marietta, thankfully, remembered to cast the silencing charms just in time.

No one of the three got a great deal of sleep that night, but they woke the next morning feeling renewed and energized with determination and hope.


	27. Chapter 26: Changes

_**Family Issue: The Issue of Mine Enemy by Norman C. Wood**_

Chapter 26 – Changes

Mundungus Fletcher couldn't believe his luck. Of all the treasures he had pilfered from Grimauld Place _that one piece_ could guarantee him a life of leisure, even respectability at long last. It was a bona fide, honest to Merlin relic of Ol' Salazar Slytherin himself. And its value was beyond imagining. The assayer had looked at the wizard photo of the locket and said that if it were genuine he had a buyer who would easily go two to three hundred for it.

"Galleons?" Dung had asked skeptically.

"If this is the genuine article, hundreds of thousands of galleons" the snooty assayer replied.

Fletcher checked into the Leaky Cauldron to freshen up, maybe a new set of robes from Madame Malkin's, he wanted to look the part of the gentry that he was about to buy himself into. He stepped out of the shower in the hallway dressed in a hotel bathrobe that he had pilfered from the maid's cart – he couldn't resist the temptation – and turned the corner to his room when he saw two shadowy figures near his door.

"Oi, wotcher wan' there?" he demanded.

He saw a bright red light and then darkness.

Mundungus Fletcher had three great phobias, the first and worst was claustrophobia; small dark confined places caused him to hyperventilate. Second, and nearly as bad as the first was entomophobia, fear of bugs and other creepy crawly things, and third of course, thanatophobia, fear of dying, Dung was particularly anxious about a violent, painful death. It had only taken an hour or so of questioning by a skilled and insightful muggle psychologist to glean these gems. A simple ipecac and purgative followed by careful obliviation made him feel like he hadn't eaten in days. An equally simple spell to force hair and nail growth completed Dung's disorientation. The whole process took less than three hours.

When he came to he was in a small room with a metal table bolted to the floor and two metal chairs, the one he was sitting in was also bolted to the floor. He tried to stand and saw that his left ankle was shackled to the metal chair leg. He concentrated on a destination but found he could not apparate. He looked down at himself and wondered where he had gotten the light blue pajamas. At least the cloth slippers kept his feet off the stark, cold tile floor.

He stroked his chin in thought and was amazed to find a week's worth of beard there, and he was hungry, ravenously hungry. He felt as though he hadn't eaten in days.

The door opened and a young man walked in wearing a non-descript but official looking cloak over what appeared to be a tailored uniform of flat black. No rank or insignia, but the manner in which he carried himself, more than what he was wearing screamed 'official with power.' He sat at the opposite end of the table and rifled through an expensive looking dragonhide briefcase before pulling out two sheets of paper. 'Damn, he looks familiar,' Fletcher mused 'but who do I know his age with blond hair?'

"Mister Fletcher, tell us where the locket is."

The young man had a familiar voice. It was a pleasant enough baritone but again, there was the unmistakable air of authority about this familiar looking bloke.

"Wha' locket would tha' be?" Fletcher asked.

"Dung, we are running out of time here."

"Wait, I know you," Mundungus started to smile, "you can' be lil' Harry, can ya?"

"Dung, if I don't have the location of that locket by the time this interview is over in," he checked his wristwatch, "eight minutes, then I will give you to my associate, and I promise that you will wish you had cooperated."

Mundungus had the temerity to laugh, "wotcher goin' t' do _Harry_, give me over to the 'bad' auror? I been in cells in places a lot worse than this and you don' have the stones to do t' me whot some has done already!"

"Dung, you stole property from _my_ home and worse you have taken an item that Voldemort wants more than I do. Did you ever hear the old saying 'politics makes for strange bedfellows?' Dung you old sod, you have no idea."

"So who ya got Harry, maybe Shack'll come in and slap me around a bit? Why not jus' go inta me head? Oh yeah, thas' right I can't be read by a legilimens. Wait there's always veritaserum right? Oh bother, doesn' work on me does it? So, wotcher goin' do _Harry_?"

The door opened again and the last person Fletcher had ever imagined he would see glided in looking like the angel of death herself. He gawped at her beauty, her revealing dark green robes, her bright red nails and blood red lips against alabaster skin.

What in the nine hells was Bellatrix Lestrange doing in a ministry interrogation cell?

"Did you get what you wanted m'lord?" She didn't look the least bit disappointed when he said no.

"Will you agree to our terms then m'lord?"

"I seem to have no choice." He said with a note of regret then looked at Mundungus "you should have just given up the locket Dung."

"Let us seal the bargain, m'lord"

The dark lady sidled up to where Harry sat and tilted his head back just enough to get him to open his mouth then she kissed him deeply, thoroughly, indecently. She reached down and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his uniform blouse and then grabbed his left hand to pull it up to her breast where he caressed it as she raked her nails over his exposed chest.

Mundungus Fletcher didn't know whether to be frightened, disgusted or aroused.

When they finally broke the kiss Harry stood on shaky legs and absently re-buttoned his fatigue blouse. He walked to the door as if in a fog, spared Fletcher one last look, shook his head and walked out.

"Now Dung, what shall we talk about?" The dark lady asked as she placed a small white cardboard box on the table.

Fletcher was dazed and confused and yes, terrified. What was the ministry playing at here, Bellatrix Feckin' Lestrange in the cell? And what the hell was in the box?

Catching the line of Fletcher's nervous gaze Bellatrix asked "Oh, you want to know what's in this box? Let me show you."

She opened the box to reveal three black beetles, about 1 cm long; the little vermin seemed to be trying to avoid the light by burrowing under a small wad of cotton.

Mundungus couldn't suppress his shudder.

"Does the name _Dermestes maculatus_ mean anything to you . . . no?"

"Whot're they for?" he said in a voice pitched slightly higher than his usual gruff tone.

"They're a gift from the Natural History Museum on Cromwell Road in London; they've given us, oh two thousand or so for our little project."

"Eh, project, wha' project?"

"Why reducing you to a skeleton of course, _Dermestes maculatus_, means 'flesh eating beetle' and it's just brilliant to watch them work."

Mundungus looked as pale as the institutional paint on the wall.

"First we immobilize you then we place you into a long wooden box, it looks like a coffin really, and then we pour a few hundred starving beetles into the box, then we turn out the lights because they really are shy little creatures and Dung, the best part is you'll be awake and aware and conscious the whole time!"

If Mundungus'd had anything in his bowels he would have voided them at that time, as it was he did piss himself.

She pulled an ebony wand with silver tips from between her cleavage and used it to unshackle his ankle, then cast a petrificus that locked his arms to his sides and his legs to each other. She levitated his immobilized form to the door where, beyond he could see the tall sided casket and he imagined he could hear the scuttling of thousands of tiny jointed feet.

As she began to lower him into the narrow box she looked at him with a curious expression, almost pensive "They go for the softest tissue first, so I'm curious, what do you think they'll eat first; your eyes . . . or your genitals?" She shrugged and said "we'll soon see, goodbye Dung."

She began to slide the lid closed on the coffin and almost as an afterthought removed the stasis spell on his head allowing him to talk or pray or plead or just scream – whatever suited him.

Fletcher chose screaming.

"Water tank! Water tank, second stall! Men's room cauldron! Leaky Cauldron, In the tank, in the TANK!"

Five minutes later Harry, still in his blond glamour and Marietta, her face obscured by her uniform cloak's hood, apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and went into the public loo. Tom the barman was surprised to see the two young aurors enter the washroom and was even more surprised when he heard several curses being exchanged. A sound like the report of a cannon blew out the door and reduced everything made of glass in the bar to shards. The bar mirror, the serving glasses the entire stock of potent potables was reduced to a liquid mass of very expensive commingling puddles.

Then a grim-faced Harry and Marietta walked out levitating a body, in full view of every patron of the best known wizarding bar in London, the body of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Thirty minutes later, back at Regimental HQ, Harry, Marietta and Belle were conferring with Mister Smith of the Department of mysteries.

Harry was filling Smith in on the details "The locket was wrapped in plastic sitting in the bottom of the water tank of the middle stall's flush toilet, that's three down, three to go."

Belle added "and the remaining items are all at Hogwart's."

Smith nodded "Several witnesses have testified that Bellatrix Lestrange was killed today in a public stall in the Leaky Cauldron. It's all over the WWN and will be the front page story in tomorrow's Prophet."

"Did anyone recognize Harry or me?" Marietta asked.

"No, they just saw two young aurors enter the loo and proceed to destroy the place. No one got any pictures but some 'autopsy' photos have already been leaked through the proper channels. I'm afraid we've just recharged Rita Skeeter's reputation for investigative reporting."

"Its about time that snarky bint did something good for us." Harry groused.

"There is a 1000 galleon reward for information leading to the identification of the brave aurors who took down public enemy number two."

"Should I be offended, just number two?" Belle smiled weakly at her attempt at humor.

"Now Miss Black, we need to establish your identity." Smith handed her a short bio to memorize.

"Hmmmm" raised in an obscure Druid community, left when I discovered I was the illegitimate daughter of Orion Black, no family, no money but I do get a stipend from the Black family as, illegitimate or not, blood is blood. Hair color, red; Harry, do you like redheads?"

"I love redheads."

"Red it is."

Saying that Mister Smith stood in front of Belle and asked "May I?"

She nodded and he placed his fingers into her thick ebony tresses and a striking ginger color flowed until there were no black hairs left on her body. Head hair, arm hair, eyebrows, all matched. Then he conjured a mirror so she could check out her new look.

"Oh my, I thought I'd look too much like my sister Andromeda, but her hair is mousey compared to this. Tell me Mister Smith, will I have to see you every two weeks to get my 'roots' done?"

"No Miss Black," he smiled, "like you I am a crafter, what I change can't be undone, except by me; if I die tomorrow you will be a redhead for the rest of your life."

Marietta looked at Belle's new look and asked "Mister Smith, do you hire out?"

He laughed, "no, but when I retire I'm thinking of opening a salon. Tell you what, you find a color you like and I'll do for you what I did for Miss Black, but only if you promise not to tell anyone how it was done or who did it."

Harry realized that if word of Mister Smith's 'talent' got out he would never be able to go out in public again as witches and wizards would hound him for a color change.

Smith caught Harry's thoughtful expression and asked "Commander?"

Taken by surprise Harry said "Oh no, I'm fine."

"Good to know that Commander, but I was just saying that Miss Black will be attached to your staff in an advisory position for the duration of this conflict, if that is all right with you?"

Harry smiled, "perfectly all right Mister Smith."

Smith smiled and said "I was never here, this conversation never took place" then disapparated with a slight pop.

Harry's expression went from amused to very serious in the span of a single deep breath and he said in his 'Commander' tone, "Come along ladies, we have work to do."

"Moving on to the next horcrux?" Belle asked.

"Destroying the one we have?" Marietta added.

"All in good time, but first. . ." he held Belle's gaze with his own.

". . .we have to see if her carpet matches her curtains!"

Laughing like a trio of teenagers, or rather like the pair of teenagers and the one rejuvenated woman that they were they ran back to the Commander's bungalow, Belle in the lead. Marietta and Harry burst through the front door and immediately started dropping clothing so that there was a trail from the front door to the master bath where they found a winded, blushing and completely nude Belle bending over to turn the taps on the large sunken bath. Looking at her through the eyes of love neither even noticed the angry welts across her otherwise perfect buttocks.

"Is that not the most magnificent arse?" Marietta asked.

"Certainly one of them" Harry rejoined.

"Flatterer!"

"Just observant."

When Belle stood she looked like Venus de Milo wished she could have looked in life, a beautiful red haired goddess. She stepped down into the tub and groaned her pleasure at the warm buoyant water. She looked so contented just floating there Harry thought . . ."

"Harry don't you dare." She said in a calm voice.

"What?" he asked; the picture of innocence, then smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand "Oh crap, I forgot."

Marietta frowned at them "some of us aren't mind readers here y'know!"

"Sorry love, prince charming here was going to 'cannonball' into the tub."

"I wasn't"

"Sorry m'lord, but you were just about to when I warned you against it."

"I'll admit I thought about it but . . ."

A loud "Woo Hoooo!" followed by a huge splash that drenched every surface in the bath ensued.

Harry frowned, "I wasn't going to do that!"

Belle just rolled her eyes at both the 'kids.'

Marietta stood laughing and sputtering, "what a great idea, thanks Harry!"

"Now milady," she added with an evil grin "let's check out the new hair 'down under.'"

The neatly trimmed "H" was still there but in the same fiery red as the rest of her body hair. Harry stepped into the bath and knelt in front of his bondmate, he didn't have to say anything but for Marietta's benefit he said aloud "oh yes, I like it very much; something about redheads. He ducked beneath the water's surface and came up between her legs so that one thigh was on each shoulder, which elicited a squeak from Belle. The squeak became a sigh as Harry began to employ the vibrating tip of his prehensile tongue.

_Come for me milady_ he said in parseltongue, which she understood through their bond but what speaking in parseltongue did for her as he tongued her would surely make her shrieks reverberate through the whole camp.

"Damn" Marietta groused as she climbed out of the tub, "I'd best set the silencing charms or the whole camp will think we're murdering someone in here!"

"Ah eddy ott it" Harry said.

"Sorry, I didn't get that."

Harry pulled back from a very contented looking Belle and said "Already got it; I set the silencing charms as we came in."

"Oh" she got a devilish twinkle in her eye that made Harry say "don't."

"Don't what?"

"I just got Belle calmed down, don't jump in."

"Make it worth my while?"

Harry smiled and used the tip of his tongue to touch the tip of his nose.

She seemed to melt in anticipation "have I told you lately that I love you Commander Potter?"

"Seems like ages, maybe half an hour."

She slipped quietly into the bath water and waded over to Harry who was disentangling himself from Belle's legs.

She kissed him deeply and said "I love you Harry."

"I love you, Marie" he rejoined.

"Now, about that tongue" she said as she leaned back and allowed her legs to float up, one on either side of her lover.

Harry sank to his knees which put his mouth at the perfect level to minister to Marietta's needs.

"Sweet baby Maeve don't stop, oh Harry don't stop, oh, oh, aaaahhhhhhhrrrrrrAhhhhhh!"

The piercing scream brought Belle out of her post orgasmic haze and she smiled. They were so good together, so beautiful together, she felt like a third wheel, and the thought depressed her.

"You are not the third wheel beloved" Harry 'said' over their bond, "you are the sun around which we turn. You are our focus and purpose."

As Harry stepped out of the tub Belle slid over to Marietta, knowing full well the state she would be in and cooed, "he loves you so much, I can feel it, it's so strong, you were the first to love him unconditionally, so you will always be his first true love, and you both will always be mine."

She kissed her tenderly and rose to step out of the tub knowing that Harry would be waiting with a warm, fluffy town to wrap around her. He didn't disappoint. Later she would muse "no, he doesn't disappoint at all" as she cuddled with her bondmates late into the night.

12


	28. Chapter 27: Back to Hogwarts

Chapter 27 – Back to Hogwarts

Harry, Belle and Marietta appeared near the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade the following day and began the long slog up to the castle that was Hogwarts. The cooler highland air was invigorating and the trio enjoyed the walk and the companionship. They arrived at the gates to find them locked and chained, a sign across the gate read "By Order of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is Closed until further notice," the sign was signed by R. Scrimgeour.

Harry tapped the lock and said in a clear, authoritative voice "alohamora!"

The chains began to slide off, then stopped, retightening themselves like a petulant metal snake.

Snake.

"I wonder" Harry mused, then repeated his actions this time saying **alohamora** in parseltongue.

The chains slinked to the ground, then raised a set of end links in Harry's direction as if awaiting orders.

"Belle?" he asked "can you transfigure this into a snake for me?"

"Of course, m'lord, do you have a preference?"

"I wish you would just call me Harry" he sighed, knowing she was from an old traditional family and would never be comfortable not addressing her perceived head of family by anything other than an honorific. "Um how about a boa constrictor?"

She nodded and raised her wand, a moment later a two-meter long Colombian Boa Constrictor lay on the ground.

"Can we shrink it a bit?"

She said "of course" and the snake was now about half a meter in length and about as thick as their other snake friend, the adder Sssai-hath Ssseck.

Harry got down on one knee and extended his hand, saying **would you like to come with usss?**

The small boa answered by slithering up the sleeve of his robe to cuddle against the warmth of his arm.

"Oi, can't you read? Ministry says we're closed!" the nasally gravelly voice of Argus Filch, caretaker called down from a low crenellated wall.

"This is Ministry business, kindly inform Headmistress McGonagall that we've arrived Mr. Filch."

Filch, used to taking orders from those he perceived to be authority figures was very much impressed with the auror officer's uniforms and braid.

"Roit you are sirs, come straight in an' I'll guide you up!"

"That's all right Mr. Filch, we know the way, thank you. We won't keep you from your duties."

The old caretaker nodded and walked off.

Harry put on his "official" demeanor as they neared the office of the current head of Hogwarts. As they arrived at the stone gargoyle Harry said, "Official Business, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Magic to see Headmistress McGonagall."

The gargoyle nodded and slid to one side, Harry and the ladies rode the spiraling staircase up to the office. Just before Harry knocked a strong Scottish brogue called "come in" through the door.

Harry stood before his old transfiguration teacher and noticed for the first time just how old she looked. He wondered if it came with the job, the pressures of running the preeminent school of its kind in Europe.

She remained seated behind her massive desk as Harry and Marietta stood at attention before her, clearly letting her know that in this place _she_ was in command. Belle stood respectfully to one side although not at attention.

"Headmistress, I am Commander Evans, I believe you know Lieutenant Edgecombe?"

Minerva's eyes widened in recognition, "Lieutenant Edgecombe; so soon? You've done very well for yourself Miss Edgecombe, I'll be the first to say it and very glad too!"

"And you are?" the headmistress asked Belle.

"This is Miss Black, headmistress, my bondmate, who also just happens to be a special consultant in the case we're currently working on."

"We've had several members of the Black family attending here, I don't recall you though Miss. That hair is striking, I'm sure I would have remembered seeing it before. It's redder than the Weasley's as their hair tends more to the orange end of the spectrum." She smiled at the recollection.

"Headmistress, might we all sit down, I'm afraid my Lady Black is in a delicate way."

"I'm pregnant m'lord, not crippled" she said in an exasperated tone. Thankful that Harry had redirected McGonagall from her uncomfortable scrutiny.

"Of course, my apologies and congratulations, both of you, do you know whether it's a boy or girl?"

"Oh yes, it's a little witch, and our healer says ours is the strongest bond he's seen in years so she's already magical!" Belle practically gushed.

"You are such a girl sometimes" Harry sent over their bond and smirked.

"Well congratulation again, both of you, I fully expect to have this school up and running again long before your daughter. . ."

"Alexis" Belle and Harry offered simultaneously and smiled.

". . . long before your daughter Alexis is due for her letter. I'm afraid this damn war is going to keep us from opening anytime soon."

Saying that Minerva McGonagall seemed to collapse in upon herself.

"Headmistress," Harry offered, "if we are successful today I believe you may be able to reopen sooner rather than later."

"Commander what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that the key to Voldemort's defeat is within the walls of this castle, wouldn't you agree, Professor Dumbledore?"

The portrait of Albus Dumbledore seemed surprised to have been caught eavesdropping.

"Whatever do you mean Commander?" the painting asked.

"Have you told the current head of Hogwarts about Tom's horcruxes?"

The painting stood tall and imposing within its frame "What do you know of horcruxes, and most importantly how do you know of horcruxes?"

"Tom Riddle was so afraid of dying that he split his soul into seven different pieces, one he's kept in that travesty of a human form he currently inhabits; the other six were placed into objects of particular significance to him."

"How do you know this?" Minerva stood and asked, not sure if she could believe it.

"He told me" Harry said, hooking his thumb at the portrait.

"The first horcrux was destroyed by a twelve-year-old boy, in the Chamber of Secrets. The second was destroyed, along with the previous headmaster's arm last summer. The third . . ." Harry reached into his robes and pulled out Slytherin's locket ". . . the third is right here in the headmistress' chambers as are the fourth and fifth soul receptacles."

Albus sat in his painting, Minerva sat in her chair.

"That scabbard is a horcrux" he said pointing to the worn leather scabbard behind the glass display case that held Godric Gryffindor's sword.

"And the alabaster inkwell on Rowena Ravenclaw's desk, the one that writes in green ink no mater what color inks you fill it with? That's the fifth one."

"And Helga's cup?" Dumbledore's painting asked.

"That would be in Salazar's chamber, inside the statue of his head."

"But only a parselmouth can enter that chamber." Minerva offered.

Harry raised his arm and said **come out and ssshow yourssself, Irisss**

The little boa came out, **Irisss, why Irisss?**

**Because Isssisss isss too long**

If Iris'd had shoulders she would have shrugged them.

"Until recently there hasn't been a parselmouth in this school since the days of Tom Riddle, who are you?" McGonagall demanded.

The portrait of Albus Dumbledore laughed, "Don't you know, Minerva? Oh this is too droll for words, please reveal yourself, my young old friend."

Harry shrugged and waved his wand over his features changing his hair back to the unruly black mop and reconfiguring his glasses to the black rimmed goggles that people had become accustomed to over the past six years.

"Mr. Potter!"

"Professor McGonagall." He rejoined.

"Mr. Potter, where have you been, what have you been up to all summer?"

Both Marie and Belle smirked at the last question. A reaction not missed by the sharp eyed professor "other than the obvious, really Potter at your age . . ."

Both Belle and Marietta took umbrage at the last comment.

"Harry is a very old soul in a young man's body," Belle told the headmistress, "and you don't know the circumstances that have brought us together, as happy as I am about how things are progressing for us; you would not like hearing the details."

"Nor does anyone need to, Belle, that's all behind us." Harry said gently.

"Actually, m'lord, it will be before us for the next six and a half months or so" she teased.

"And you will address him as Commander, Professor, he's earned it" Marie finished

"I've been under the tutelage of Sergeant Major Moody, Mad Eye to you, Ma'am. He's been helping me prepare to meet the Dork Lord and had arranged some really high powered help to go along, but before we can take on Moldishorts and his death nibblers we have to destroy the remaining horcruxes."

"Be careful Harry, each horcrux demands a price for its sacrifice."

"Yes, about that Sir. The horcruxes are not dangerous to Tom or anyone who shares a bit of his magic."

"You mean?"

"Yes sir, if you had given me the ring, I could have smashed it without any danger to myself. I could have drunk the potion containing the faux horcrux without any ill effects whatsoever."

"Ah yes, as always, in hindsight it seems so obvious."

"Yes sir" he turned to the headmistress, "if I may begin collecting the rest of Tom's soul?"

"Of course" and for the first time Minerva emerged from behind her desk in her tartan overcoat and fuzzy slippers. "Well, these stone floors are cold."

She retrieved the inkwell as Harry pulled the scabbard from behind the glass case.

"Just the cup left then, I'll take them to the Quidditch Pitch, My Lady Belle is an accomplished researcher and has determined that dark magics are least powerful at solar noon, which will be in just under two hours so, if you'll excuse me?"

His ladies rose to join him but he forbade it.

"Not this time I'm afraid, first there's no need for all of us to go, as I'm the only one who can open the chamber and I don't want you jostled about on the slide down."

"Yes m'lord, might I go with you to the entrance?"

Harry rolled his eyes but smiled, "Yes milady, of course."

"And as I'm your adjutant, I really must insist." Marietta said, in a tone that would brook no argument.

"Someone please remind me that I'm the ranking officer here?"

"Of course Commander" Marietta said kissing his right cheek.

"Of course m'lord" Belle said kissing his left.

Harry placed the scabbard around his waist and pocketed the (empty) inkwell along with the locket and said "shall we?"

As they entered the second floor girls bathroom Harry heard a familiar voice.

"You're not welcome here anymore Potter!"

"Oh, hello Myrtle" Harry said in an effort to be cordial.

"Don't you 'oh hello' me you murderer, you assassin. Tell me, did it feel good when you slashed and tried to murder the only friend I've had in ages? Did you brag to all your friends about how he lay bleeding on my floor? He was so sensitive and good and gentle and kind and so frightened and you had to ruin everything!"

Harry had just about had enough. He was not looking forward to going back into the chamber in the first place and now there was a psychotic ghost in his face.

He raised his hand, palm out and in his command voice said "Myrtle, stop; have you managed to convince yourself that I attacked him?" he demanded, green eyes boring into her grey ethereal ones, "who started with the unforgivables? Who started cursing in the first place? What was he planning to do, and . . . wait a minute?" Harry realized something that he should have known all along. "You and he talked for hours; you must have known what he was trying to do!"

Myrtle shrank back toward a wall.

"When did you know, Myrtle? When did you know that he planned to attack this castle, to bring death eaters into these halls, to _kill_ Albus Dumbledore?"

Belle interrupted, "Myrtle, are we talking about Draco?"

Myrtle nodded.

"Well, let me show you what your good and gentle and kind _boyfriend_ is capable of!"

Saying that she undid the lacings of her emerald green velvet dress and peeled the top down so that she could remove the white camisole, then she presented her scarred back to the ghost girl.

"This is what your good and gentle and frightened boyfriend did to me, and you know what? It wasn't enough, he would have crucioed me too if someone hadn't been there to stop him."

She restored her top with great dignity and said, "Now stop annoying us little ghost, and think in the future how your actions reverberate through the land of the living!"

This time Myrtle moaned in shame and guilt as she did a header into one of the toilettes.

Harry walked over to the sinks and found the one with the faucet that bore the snake emblem.

**Open** he said in parseltongue.

The sink retreated into the floor revealing the slide tunnel behind it.

"All right ladies, stay here, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Wait, Harry." Belle said, "I know the Dork Laird, he would never slide down a hole like this – too undignified."

"What would he do?"

"He would have a conveyance of some sort, or at the very least, stairs."

Harry shrugged, then said **Ssstairsss**

The slide angled every foot or so forming a long graceful spiral staircase.

"My Lord?" she said holding out her hand.

Harry groaned and took it leading her carefully into the dark chambers below.

"Commander?" Marietta said and drew her wand as she stepped past them and whispered "Lumos!"

The directed beam of light allowed them to safely navigate the stairs all the way to the bone littered base.

"There was only the one basilisk, but if you see anything moving shut your eyes straight away, all right?"

Both ladies nodded their agreement.

As they all entered the main chamber torches magically lit showing off the serpentine architecture. At the end of the great chamber was the statue of the monkey-faced Salazar Slytherin, the mouth still open since the last time Harry had entered the chamber four years before. There was no trace of the basilisk's body. Harry didn't want to think about what could render twenty meters of snake to nothing, not even a skeleton.

"Keep your eyes peeled, have your wands ready, just in case."

"Harry, do you know something you're not telling us?" Marietta asked.

"I'm not sure, but there should be a very large dead snake here and there isn't; not even a pile of bones."

Both ladies appreciated his honesty and candor. Of course both pulled their wands and started scanning the room.

"Stay close, it's going to be a bit wet here."

He strode ahead of them into the knee deep water until he reached Salazar's open mouth, the lighted wand tip revealed nothing but a dark furnished room, some books and a large desk. Looking back to make sure his ladies were watching his back and each other's he slipped inside.

There to the left of the door was a small recessed alcove, and resting on a shelf was Helga Hufflepuff's golden goblet.

He picked it up and thought, "This is too easy."

"Harry, get out here!" Marietta shouted.

He jumped out of the small room and joined the two ladies standing near the water's edge.

"What is it?" he asked.

Both ladies were still scanning the chamber.

"See that?" Belle asked.

"See what?" Harry asked.

"Just keep looking at the far entrance." Just then a dark shape scuttled through the distant opening – through the roof of the opening.

All three mages redirected their wand lights toward the ceiling of the chamber.

The ceiling was alive with multi-legged creatures with multiple multifaceted eyes.

The acromantulae had found a new home.

The three humans were welcome guests.

Welcome for dinner.


	29. Chapter 28: Spiders Flee Before It

Chapter 28 – Spiders Flee Before It

_Harry, Belle and Marietta redirected their wand lights toward the ceiling of the chamber. _

_The ceiling was alive with multilegged creatures with multiple multifaceted eyes._

_The acromantulae had found a new home._

_The three humans were welcome guests._

_Welcome for dinner._

"Harry would ye be knowin' any good spells t'use against really big spiders?" Marietta asked, her Irish accent coming to the fore an indicator of how nervous she was.

"Steady now, yes I do but it only works against one at a time."

"How about an inflamare?" Belle offered.

"We'll keep that one in mind" Harry said, remembering that a ring of fire had protected him and Dumbledore from the inferi just a few months before. The only problem with that plan was that the spiders would drop on them from the ceiling, they would have to keep a wall of fire on three sides and that would use up most of the oxygen in the chamber before it could renew itself.

"All right now, back into the mouth of the statue, nice and slow, keep an eye out for sudden movement, diffindo!"

A large acromantula had dropped from the ceiling, Harry's cutting spell sliced it from tip to tip, the two halves quivered on the ground in front of them.

The three mages backed through the knee deep water then sidled into the open mouth just as three more acromantulae dropped from the ceiling three diffindos followed by an inflamare left the arachnid pieces smoldering at the mouth of the statue. The humans slipped inside, the spiders waited outside, they were in no hurry; they had food enough for a while thanks to their more fool hardy brothers and sisters.

"I'm going to close the mouth" Harry told his ladies, then in parseltongue whispered _close_.

As the mouth closed a candelabra flared to life giving soft but substantial light to the room.

"Belle, Marie, can I get you to stay here while I make sure these rooms are clear?"

He saw the determined looks in their eyes as they both brought their wands to a ready position.

"Never mind, okay, Marie, you watch left and above, I'll take right and above and Belle,"

"I'll cover your rear, oh yes" she vamped.

He chuckled "you're incorrigible, please don't ever change."

There were several rooms set up for various functions, a potions lab, a library, one comfortable bedroom with a large bed one smaller room with a one person sized bunk. A larder, a loo and a washroom with a large footed tub, all fed off a long passageway that seemed to go into a hole in the floor.

"Belle, can you please transfigure a grate to go across that hole, I'd like to avoid any surprises."

"Done, m'lord" and it was with a cross hatch movement of her wand the hole was screened against anything larger than a blue bottle fly.

"If you would do the same for the air vents in the rooms please?"

"Of course."

And none too soon it seemed for a large hairy acromantula was even then trying to fit through the vent in the master bedroom. Marie's reductor curse was so violent that the giant arthropod was literally smeared back through the vent. All three scourgified the duct so that the remains inside wouldn't begin to putrefy.

They blocked and warded all of the possible entries, even the plumbing before settling in to plan their escape. The three of them were resting in the study when Belle let out a small shriek.

Both young aurors were on their feet, wands at the ready when they say that Harry's bondmate was shrieking at or because of a book. Harry groaned, Belle it seemed, was channeling Hermione.

"What have you found?" he asked.

"This is Salazar Slytherin's personal diary – look"

Salazar's writing was small and precise, it almost looked typeset it was so neat. He was it seems, quite the calligrapher.

"It is the nine hundredthe and ninety seventhe year by the common reckoning, the end of a millennia." Salazar wrote "the dvarfes hath done fine fashioning the chamber; it shall be our secret, the dvarfes and mine. Vorke continues apace on the castle above our students shall have a place of safety to become learned and groe in their crafte."

"He wrote this" Belle said with reverence "just before the school was completed a thousand years ago."

A later entry from the diary "the egg hath hatched, the egg of a chicken incubated by a toade hath rendered a serpent, a basiliske that only I or one of mine heirs can master. The eight legged beasties of the forest shall not enter this sacred place of learning."

"Don't you see m'lord? Lord Slytherin never meant the basilisk to harm anyone at Hogwarts regardless of blood status; its commission was to keep the acromantulae away from the castle. The basilisk was subverted by that half-blood bastard who calls himself 'winged death.' So a guardian of the castle became a monster instead."

"And if I had understood my gift earlier, I could have reasoned with it, maybe I could have kept it alive to continue its work here." That revelation made Harry think long and hard about rushing into any circumstance when he didn't have enough information.

"Yeah" Marietta said "and there would have been no army of spiders between us and the exit either. . ." She stopped talking as Harry and Belle both snapped their heads in her direction as if struck by the same thought at the same time. Of course they did, they were bonded; they literally did have the same thoughts at the same time.

"Why not?" they both said.

"Certainly worth a try!" Harry agreed.

He held out his sleeve and spoke in parseltongue with the little boa.

"Marie, Belle, come with me to the end of the corridor."

The three of them moved to the grated hole in the floor, where Belle removed the grid.

Harry sat against the wall and began his relaxation exercise so that Belle could access his thoughts freely.

"All right, m'lord."

"Harry, just Harry please."

"All right, my Lord Harry, I can see the basilisk in your mind now let me see if I can speak to Iris."

_Irisss, can you help usss_?

_What would you have me do_?

_There are many ssspidersss outside that want to harm usss, make usss food_

_That isss the way of thingsss, we eat or we are food_

_Would you not rather eat than be eaten_?

_I am sssmall_

_I can make you great and terrible to the ssspidersss, and they can be food for you_

_You will do thisss for me_?

_If you will allow it, yesss_

_I will allow_

Belle pulled the details of the images from Harry's mind, the size, texture, smell, sounds, and even the pain of the venom in the basilisk fangs and began the biggest transfiguration project of her life.

Late that afternoon the remaining staff members reported seeing hundreds of acromantulae of all sizes literally boil up from the ground and run into the forbidden forest as if the spider's vision of the devil had been visited upon them. Many of the smaller (merely dog sized) spiders were trampled by the larger (hippo sized) arachnids as they all ran in a blind panic away from the castle.

Dekaliters of fresh acromantula venom were collected that day, much to Horace Slughorn's delight.

A new guardian of the castle patrolled the hidden chambers and sub-subbasements of the school ensuring that there would be no spider infestation in the castle itself for the next few hundred years.

The sun had long set before Harry and his ladies emerged from the chamber looking drawn and exhausted.

"Was it my imagination or were there more steps coming up than there were going down?" Belle groused.

"No, ooph" Harry said as Marietta elbowed him in the side, they were fresh out of training and Belle wasn't yet used to the exercise, "oh yeah, well, coming back up was all uphill and going down was all, y'know, down."

Marietta rolled her eyes.

"It's all right Marie, I know what he's thinking and he's right, I do need to be in better shape, I will begin training with you as soon as we get back to base, but now I believe there's a Prefect's bathroom near here somewhere?"

"It's um, on the sixth floor. . ." Harry almost quailed at Marietta's withering glance.

Belle just groaned, "let's go then shall we, but I want a thorough massage when we get there, and I mean thorough."

Her voice lowered a whole octave when she said "thorough" such that Harry was tempted to just pick her up and carry her up the four flights of steps, but she did need to get into shape and steps were great for that.

"Harry, please wait, just a moment" the ethereal voice of Moaning Myrtle called out. The ghost drifted down from the high window where she had been sitting and touched down on in front of the trio. She couldn't bring herself to look directly at any of them so she picked at her ethereal skirt as she asked "can you ever forgive me? I've been so alone for so long that I go a little, you know, crazy here and I took it out on you, and you were right of course and I'm so, so sorry." She started to drift toward the ceiling "I won't bother you again, when I see you I'll just fade away."

Harry thought about the spirit having to exist in plumbing for five decades and felt for the girl ghost, "please wait, it's all right Myrtle, I think I understand. I'd hate it if any of my friends started to avoid me over an honest misunderstanding."

"Friends? She whispered, like the sound was foreign to her, are you my friend Harry?"

"I consider you my friend Myrtle, if that's all right with you."

Myrtle began to weep silver tears again but this time they were tears of gratitude. Marie and Belle were moved as well. Belle said, "Myrtle, we're just going up to the prefect's bath, if you'd like to . . . join us?"

Myrtle's ghostly eyes grew wide behind her spectacles and she said "oh, that's so naughty, I couldn't . . . could I?"

Belle took off out the door like a shot and called back over her shoulder "last one there is a rotten basilisk's egg!"

Harry and Marietta looked at each other and smiled; gave Myrtle a 'come along' gesture and took off yelling "hey, no fair getting a head start!"

Myrtle squealed and dove into the nearest sink to follow the pipes up.

When the two teens arrived at the prefect's bath the door was shut and Belle was nowhere to be seen, Marietta looked up and down the sixth floor corridor and called out "Belle?"

She was getting concerned until she saw Harry smirk, "she's in with Myrtle, ghost girl gave her the password and Belle's waiting for us to come in."

"Well, what is the password?" she asked, slightly exasperated.

Harry's smirk grew to become an evil grin as he sent over the bond, "whatever you do milady, don't think of saying the password, don't even think about the password, and don't tell me the password is . . ."

"Sandalwood; damn it Harry, I couldn't not think of 'sandalwood' with you putting to me like that!"

"Sandalwood" he said aloud and the door unlocked for them. Belle was still dressed in her emerald green dress and white chemise, but the lacings were undone so that she could slip it off easily. She was puttering about with the towels laying them out on the floor to form mattresses and had set warming stones to heat them; she had already set the many taps to fill the swimming pool sized bath. Myrtle drifted alongside her as they whispered together.

"You could easily have been in Slytherin, m'lord" she said, good humor crinkling her eyes.

"He is smart enough to be in Ravenclaw as well, milady" Marietta rejoined "just too bloody noble to be anywhere but Griffindor."

"More like stubborn, actually" he added, "seeing as 'floppy' wanted to put me in Slytherin."

"Floppy?" Marietta asked.

"The Sorting Hat" Belle answered for him, "that's what Harry calls the Sorting Hat."

"Tell me love, when will I be able to read your mind as well?"

"You're already a pretty good occlumens, legilimens should be fairly easy for you."

"Or you could do the same thing I did" Belle said with her Mona Lisa smile.

"We'll have graduated from auror training by the end of this month, and I'm not going to renew the contraceptive charm" she looked at Harry with real longing in her eyes "unless you'd rather not . . . ?"

"How could I say no to those beautiful brown eyes? But could we wait until Riddle has been escorted to 'the next great adventure' first? I want our children to grow up in a Voldemort-free world."

Marietta went weak in the knees to hear Harry talk about having children with her, she knew he wanted a family, a Weasley sized brood to cherish; and the fact that he wanted her to be the mother of his children made her eyes fill with happy tears.

"Riddle?" Myrtle mused "I knew a Riddle when I was still attending classes" apparently, like most ghosts Myrtle didn't refer to being alive, but rather referred to doing things the living did "I think he was a Slytherin prefect."

"Myrtle, please join us over here for a moment" Harry said, and he gestured for her and his ladies to sit on the towels.

"Myrtle, you do know what killed you, right?"

"Oh yes, I found out when you killed it, it was a basilisk."

"Do you know who set the basilisk on you in the first place?"

"No, I never found out."

"It was Tom Riddle."

"Oh" the ghost said in a very small ethereal voice, "do you know why?"

"I can't say for sure, but I think it was because you were muggle born; and because you were in the bathroom just as the basilisk was emerging from the opening of the Chamber of Secrets" Harry explained.

"Did he hate me so much?"

"He hated, and still hates all who are muggle-born, anyone who isn't 'pure blood'" Belle offered.

"Still hates? He's still walking about?"

"Yes, Myrtle, he is, he's Lord Voldemort."

"Will you please excuse me," the little ghost asked "I think I have someone to haunt . . ."

Belle cried out "No Myrtle, don't go!"

"Why not?" she spat back, rising about half a meter into the air "I can go wherever water flows; that makes precious few places I can't go so I can and I will find him. What can he do to me he hasn't already done? It's not like he can kill me again – can he?"

"Oh Myrtle, he's had nearly sixty years of experience dealing with vengeful spirits, he's killed hundreds of people, perhaps thousands, so he deals with ghosts everyday; he can make you suffer, he can rob you of your afterlife! I've seen him set a dementor on a ghost and it shred that poor spirit until nothing was left. I remember him laughing at its misery and despair! It would break my heart to know that he hurt you; please don't go. Stay with us, help us to destroy him!"

The little ghost was overcome by Belle's genuine concern and her voice was filled with emotion as she said "No one has ever, and I mean _ever_ cared about me, not in the children's home where I was raised, not in school, certainly not since."

"We care Myrtle, and after tomorrow, when we've killed off a few stray dark soul pieces we'll be that much closer to putting paid to Riddle's accounts."

"Oh I hope I'm somewhere nearby when that happens, I'll be happy to escort him to his afterlife!"

"I don't think he's bound for the same place you are Myrtle" Harry stated as if it were an immutable fact.

"Actually, he is. I can't tell you how I know this but the next great adventure is the same destination for everyone, but not the same destiny. I don't know why, but it's so much clearer for me now, it's like heaven for one person is like the fiery pit to someone else. We're going to the same place, but for the truly evil it is punishment indeed."

They all pondered what Myrtle was saying when Belle stood and announced "I'm going in for a dip, who's joining me?"

Harry and Marietta scrambled to their feet and Myrtle drifted to hers. The three corporal beings began to remove each other's clothing with practiced efficiency as the ghost girl began to blush a brilliant blue around her cheeks.

"No need to be embarrassed, Myrtle, you don't have to undress and you can always turn your back if you don't want to see this" Belle soothed.

"I know, but I really want to, um, join in; but I've never, y'know . . ."

Myrtle seemed to solidify just a bit as she stood on the floor, her expression one of pure determination, and began to undress, first her Hogwart's jacket, followed by the starched white blouse revealing a lacey looking bra that seemed to have points on the cones, she unbuttoned then unzipped her ghostly grey skirt and let it fall to the ground revealing high-waist pants of the type worn by girls in the mid to late 1940s. She stood in her white bra and knickers, knee-socks and loafers waiting as the living stripped down to their skins.

"Oh my, you have no hair 'down there.'"

"No we charmed it off, except for Belle, who keeps just a small thatch above her -"

"I see Harry, I see" then she giggled "I see Harry and Harry isn't hairy!"

"Cute Myrtle" he grinned, appreciating the ghost's outdated sense of humor. He stepped into the bath and helped Marietta in as well. Just as he was about to offer a hand to Belle he heard her yell "Woooo Hoooooo!" and watched her cannonball into the middle of the bath. She stood laughing a sputtering, much as Marietta had the day before, this time it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes.

Myrtle was bent over double laughing, she hadn't had this much fun since, well, ever!

The trio in the bath frolicked and splashed for quite a while before settling in for a nice soak where they gravitated together in a nice three-way hug. They began to exchange tender kisses that became more passionate by the minute, Myrtle caught Harry's eye as she removed her bra, which was apparently two sizes too large for her tiny "A" cups and peeled out of her knickers and socks and shoes. She neatly folded her ghostly garments and placed them on a shelf. She stood straight and Harry could see what no man had ever seen before, a nude Myrtle. He liked the darkening puffy blue areole and her waspish waist which flared to form full hips. Some would call her bottom-heavy but Harry though her shape suited her. Harry removed his arm from around Belle and invited Myrtle to join them.

She did a very convincing job of stepping into the water, although the water was not displaced by her has she had no mass to speak of and she glided over to the inviting trio.

"I'd better not" she said sadly "I know ectoplasm is very cold to the living and I don't want to spoil the moment."

Harry and the ladies would have none of it and moved to where Myrtle stood in the chest-deep water. They gathered her into their embrace and although it was cold they drew warmth from each other as they gave some to the ghost.

Harry felt himself begin to react to the chill – things really do get smaller in the cold – and kissed the closest living face, which happened to be Marietta's. She placed the glans of his flagging member near her warm opening, deepened the kiss and rubbed him against her sex to let him know she was already ready for him, and to emphasize the fact she hooked her left leg, and then her right around his waist so that all she had to do was press down to feel him enter her.

Ghosts are incorporeal beings, but very strong stimuli, strong smells, sweaty bodies and teen hormones are very powerful indeed because as Harry entered Marietta, Myrtle gasped as she felt a sympathetic touch along her ghostly entrance, it was almost as if she were being penetrated along with Marietta, and for the first time since her death, Myrtle moaned not in sorrow, but in pleasure.

Belle moved in behind Marietta to help support her in the water as Harry began to pump with more vigor "move closer" she whispered to the ghost girl and Myrtle was only too happy to comply. As Marietta began to climax Myrtle felt an irresistible pull and suddenly Harry was holding her, kissing her, and she was screaming her climax into his wide open mouth. As she began to settle down to a post orgasmic bliss she slid out of Marietta and literally floated on air coming to a rest on the surface of the water.

Marietta, for her part looked like she was equally boneless.

"Goddess I love this man" she thought.

"Amen sister" Myrtle sighed.

Marietta's eyes snapped open, "Myrtle?" she thought to herself.

"Um hum, um, yes?" the ghost said aloud.

"You can 'hear' me?" Marietta thought in her direction.

"Yes, why?" the ghost asked.

"Because I'm not speaking, I'm only thinking" the girl replied.

"Myrtle's ghostly eyes snapped open and she stared back at the couple who were still, well, coupled.

The ghost drifted back to them, and looked at Marietta curiously, but didn't speak as Harry was beginning to pump again and it was her turn to ride the climax.

His breathing became more pronounced as though he were looking for that second wind and he began to feel that familiar sensation that meant he was about to release when Myrtle felt that same pull, but this time she was pulled into him as he began to empty himself. This time Marietta was in front of Myrtle and she could feel herself inside the girl as all three of them began to scream their completion, echoing around the Prefect's bathroom for what seemed like an eternity.

As before, as the body she was 'visiting' began to come down from its climax Myrtle simply drifted out, in a post orgasmic fog.

Harry and Marietta began to chuckle as they shared the moment, "visiting?"

"Well" Myrtle smirked "I think 'visiting' sounds so much nicer than 'possessing,' don't you?" she sighed a sigh of utter and complete contentment "I'm the first person since Teiresias to know how it feels to love as a man and a woman, and to think, until today I was a virgin!"

"Glad to have that out of the way?" Belle smirked.

"You have no idea" Myrtle sighed, "I'm not complaining mind you, but I don't understand why I was drawn into you just now, I mean here in the prefect's bathroom alone there have been hundreds of Hogwart's students having sex – really, you wouldn't believe who I've seen in here bumpin' uglies!"

"That's just it, dear, all those others were having sex, but we were making love, I promise you there's a difference, oh yes, vive le difference!" Belle sang as she moved in front of Harry and began stroking him.

Marietta added "and you were invited, I'm sure that's important too."

"Milord, please lie down on the edge here, there's something I've been dying to try."

"Hey" Myrtle quipped, "no dying metaphors around the ghost!"

"Myrtle, did you just make a funny?"

"Well, yeah, I am a little out of practice."

"No, really, that was good" Harry said encouragingly as he lay on the edge of the pool, "now what were you – erp!"

The 'erp' was his reaction to being completely fellated in his bondmate's mouth all the way to the back of her throat. She began to bob back and forth taking his entire length. As she moved faster and faster he could feel the need for release and he wanted to warn her when she suddenly stopped, pulled away and walked to the shallow end where the water was only knee-deep. She spread her feet just more than shoulder length apart and bent over at the waist placing her elbows on the edge of the pool.

She looked over her shoulder at Harry, lying there in a 'heightened state of readiness' and gave him a come hither jerk of the head.

You would have thought he had apparated there he was so fast. He could see that she needed no foreplay, but he was too much the gentle man to not make sure she was ready for him, so he knelt down and put his parselmouth to good use.

"Oh Harry my Lord," she gasped "I'm never going to let you go you jewel!"

When he was satisfied that Belle was more than ready he stood behind her and said "Myrtle?"

The ghost girl squealed and practically dove into the couple, sharing time with each body, enjoying the sensations of both.

Fifteen minutes later they were all soaked in sweat and out of breath and completely in love.

"Goddess, you've killed me again" Myrtle moaned as she drifted out of Belle.

"But what a way to go" Belle murmured.

"Can we just sleep here tonight?" Harry asked.

Marietta transfigured a tall stack of towels into a king sized futon and some sheets. Then cast an inflamare so that the fireplace filled with dancing flames adding warmth and a comfortable glow to the bath room.

"Come t'bed my beloveds" she said "we've a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"One more dip in the bath, then I seem to remember promising someone a massage."

"Have I told you lately that I love you m'lord?" Belle said dreamily.

Myrtle sighed basking in the afterglow and thanked all three for the most perfect day of her afterlife.

ooo000ooo

In Salazar Slytherin's journal I tried to give the impression of a language related to, but far removed from our own. Anyone who has read (or has tried to read) Beowulf in the original Old English will appreciate just how much the language has changed.


	30. Chapter 29: Eating and Overeating

Chapter 29 – Eating and Overeating

The next morning found the four of them snuggled deep in the coverings of the futon on the floor of the Prefect's bath, Myrtle was being careful not to bump into any of the corporeal bodies, lest her ectoplasm shock them to a cold, rude awakening.

"Good morning Myrtle" Harry said softly as he quietly slipped back under the covers, having just returned from the loo.

"Oh, you're awake?" she replied equally quietly.

"Yeah, I almost always wake up first, but I try not to disturb my ladies."

She nodded knowingly, "just want to make sure they're really real?"

"Yeah, I keep thinking I'll wake up and all this will have been a dream. I see my ladies first thing in the morning and thank all the gods that have ever been or will be that they're both in my life. In my darkest moments I'm afraid my whole life since coming to Hogwarts will have been a dream; I'll wake up and be ten years old again; back in a tiny cupboard and all of this will have been some kind of psychotic delusion."

She arched a ghostly eyebrow at him "bad memories?"

"Yeah, but they're all behind me now."

"Just let me know if you want me to haunt anyone for you, rumor has it I can be very annoying" she added with a smirk.

"Not to me" he said as though it had always been a well known fact, he didn't notice when the lonely ghost girl quivered in appreciation.

"Will any of you ever come back and visit me again?" she asked; the longing painfully evident in her trembling voice.

Harry leaned up on one elbow and said "of course, if you'd like, but Myrtle?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you still here? I mean, why didn't you move on, or at least move away from the castle?"

"Well, first I was just so mad at Olive Hornby, for teasing me – if it hadn't been for her I wouldn't have been in the bathroom in the first place, then later I had just become, well, not comfortable but secure? Does that make sense? Here I am in a familiar place and well, I just stayed."

"But you can leave if you want to?"

"Sometimes, you know I followed Olive for months after, y'know, the basilisk" Harry nodded, "but then Headmaster Tippet put a geas on me binding me to the girl's bathroom. But I found a loophole, wherever pipes can go, so can I."

"The current headmistress could release you from your geas, don't you think?"

"Maybe, I really dunno . . ." she shrugged.

Just the form of a wispy Scottish terrier appeared and requested, in McGonagall's voice, that Harry and his entourage please join the headmistress for breakfast.

"Nice patronus" came the sleepy voice of Marietta, "wish I could do one."

"We'll just have to work on those happy thoughts" Harry smiled and kissed her.

"Oh yes, keep doing that and I'll give you a patronus that will bring the house down."

"Belle . . . My Lady?" Harry caressed her bare shoulder.

"I'm awake, m'lord, I've just been enjoying the warmth and company and I'm afraid I have been eavesdropping, sorry."

He gently rolled her onto her back and gave her a proper good morning kiss.

"Hmmm," she murmured, "fresh breath" she reached up and stroked his jawline, "and I see you've shaved. You have learned your lessons well young man."

"I was taught by the best" he smiled and kissed her again.

"Did the headmistress say when to come to breakfast?" Marietta asked. Harry, completely engrossed in kissing Belle, missed the silent communication going on between the three ladies in the room.

"No, just that she wanted us to join her . . . erp!"

Belle pushed Harry onto his back as Marie removed the cover, then leaned down to kiss him completely. As Marie was doing this Belle straddled his legs and reached down to stroke him to full readiness. Myrtle hovered between the two waiting for the 'tug' that would bring her into one of the corporeal bodies.

Belle slid onto Harry's 'morning wood' with practiced ease and groaned her appreciation for the manner in which he filled her. She looked at the ghost with half lidded eyes and nodded. Myrtle giggled and slid effortlessly into her and together they rode Harry to completion.

Belle insisted that his Marie be taken care of as well and this time the ghost girl flowed from one to the other as they danced the intimate dance of the ages, Harry/Myrtle on top and Marie/Myrtle on the bottom, her knees on his shoulders.

"Oh my Goddess, you can wake me up like that every morning for the rest of my life!"

He kissed her and wondered if she realized that she had just proposed to him, if so the answer was yes.

"Sweet Maeve, don't you dare stop!

A very refreshed trio of corporeal beings and one very satisfied looking ghost entered the great hall just over an hour later. The headmistress sat at one of the long tables, Gryffindor's of course, sipping on some tea, munching on a ginger biscuit.

"Did ye get lost Commander?" she smirked.

"No ma'am, we had some things we had to, ah, finish before breakfast."

The headmistress's eyebrows arched knowingly.

"Would you know anything about a large number of giant spiders running away from the castle yesterday?"

"Yes ma'am, it seems there was an infestation in Salazar's old chamber."

Belle proceeded to explain the purpose of the basilisk in the chamber in the first place, and how Harry had done a great service to the school by clearing out the current infestation.

"Indeed; and how did he accomplish that?"

Harry told the tale of Belle's transfiguration of the snake Iris, giving the castle another guardian, one that would not be so easily subverted.

"Miss Frisbee, may we help you?" McGonagall asked Myrtle.

Myrtle seemed shocked that someone knew her surname, "yes, headmistress, I was hoping you could unbind me from the castle."

"D' ye no longer wish to stay here?"

"It's not that Professor, I believe I can be of service to Harry and his ladies but I can't do that until the geas that binds me to Hogwarts is lifted, and only the current head of school can do that."

"Very well, I shall attend to it after breakfast, if you'll excuse us Miss Frisbee, we'll eat and then reconvene in my office."

"Thank you ma'am" Myrtle said and started to drift off.

As the breakfast platters appeared on the table Harry said "wait, Myrtle would you like some breakfast?"

"Commander" the headmistress said in a sotto voice, "I sent the ghost away because it's considered rude to eat in front of one, remember Miss Frisbee hasn't tasted food for over fifty years, it can be very depressing for her to watch."

Myrtle drifted back and as Harry said "come on" she slid into him. Harry/Myrtle speared a link of sausage and bit off the end experimentally and the look on his/her face was sheer bliss.

Myrtle's voice sounded eerie coming out of Harry's mouth as s/he said "cor, I'd forgotten how good food tastes."

McGonagall looked scandalized, "Mr. Potter, I'm sorry, Commander, I can't allow possessions in this school, what if the other ghosts just start popping in and out of the living?"

Harry leveled his gaze at his old head of house and said evenly, in his own voice, "it's not a possession, it's a co-habitation – I invited Myrtle, she's not taking over, we're sharing."

She looked skeptical but shrugged her shoulders; in nearly fifty years of teaching she had seen stranger things to be sure.

"Very well, Commander, on your head be it. Well everyone, tuck in!"

The tension evaporated over the excellent Hogwart's fare. After breakfast Myrtle phased out of Harry and nuzzled his cheek and whispered her thanks, for 'everything' before drifting in the general direction of the headmistresses' office.

As the four living members of the group walked up the tower steps to the office McGonagall asked "Harry, we're to meet a Mister Smith at the Quidditch Pitch at solar noon today, do you have any idea what that's about?"

"Yes ma'am, and I would keep all the staff away from the pitch unless they can form a corporeal patronus."

Once in the office the Head of School pulled a massive volume down from the bookshelf behind her desk and flipped through till she found the passage.

"Spirit of the departed, Myrtle Louisa Frisbee, by the power vested in me as head of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I unbind you from the geas that was wrought by my predecessor and you are henceforth free to roam the land of the living without limit or restriction."

Myrtle felt as if a weight had fallen off her "oh thank you Headmistress, thank you!"

McGonagall raised her hand and said, "just a moment, there's something else I'd like to add, now where was it, oh yes, here it is . . ." she cleared her throat, raised her wand and intoned "should your restless spirit crave a home you need not ever more to roam you are always welcome within these walls, these warm welcoming Hogwarts hallowed halls."

Silver tears streamed down Myrtle's face, she would never be a 'homeless' ghost, as so many were.

Three hours later Harry, Marietta and the headmistress were standing in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. Harry had adamantly refused to let Belle anywhere near it, "I don't need to worry about what I know is out there but you do and you have to think of our daughter now, this could be very bad for her, mon chéri please, no argument this time."

Belle had relented and stayed with Myrtle in the library.

The ghost asked "do you feel a chill, just now? I normally don't feel cold but that's what I feel now, like a chill draft is coming from somewhere."

Belle's heart sank as she felt it too, and she knew what it was. Harry, as usual, had been right.

"It's nothing Myrtle, come, give us a happy thought, I know!"

Belle leaned toward the seated ghost girl and lowered her voice conspiratorially "describe how it feels to be 'visiting' Harry as he is making love to one of us."

Myrtle's eyes grew wide and she giggled naughtily.

'That's right little ghost,' Belle thought 'let us share happy thoughts for that is how to fight the abomination that is being visited upon Hogwarts right now'

It was a bright, sunny mid-August day but the pitch was cold and uninviting, Harry felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and was anxious for the safety of his ladies and his unborn daughter. The reason was very evident. Standing at the other end of the pitch was Mister Smith and a tethered dementor.

Harry moved to center field and placed the cup, the inkwell, the locket and the scabbard on the center circle and walked back to the goalposts. Mister Smith, accompanied by the dementor, moved to the center and stood for the better part of half an hour as the wraith sucked the dark soul magic out of the four horcruxes.

As the last glowing bead of soul magic was drawn out of the last horcrux the dementor screamed a sound like a thousand brakes screeching before a crash, like ten thousand fingernails on a thousand blackboards, the sound reached a crescendo just before the dark creature exploded into a million shards of black light.

"I thought that could happen" Mister Smith shrugged, "I'd hoped it wouldn't, but what can you do?"

"What happened?" Harry demanded.

"He overate. There was so much magic that he couldn't stop absorbing it, I tried to get him to stop, told him we could finish later but he got greedy."

"Are there any soul pieces left?" Marietta asked.

"Let me see" Smith pulled out his wand and a crystal of darkest amethyst. He mumbled an incantation followed by a revealing spell with his wand and said, "No, all gone."

"So the next time I see Moldishorts . . ." Harry started.

"He'll be killable" Smith finished.

Harry nodded; his face a mask of grim determination.

"Mister Smith" he asked "Voldemort can remove the dark mark, right?"

"I suppose so, but I don't see why he would."

"Could someone who shares a bit of his power do it?"

Mister Smith looked surprised at Harry as he revealed his famous lightning bolt scar.

"He 'marked me as his equal' sixteen years ago, I speak Parseltongue and have even been inside his thoughts on the odd occasion."

Smith's normally expressionless face took on the light like that of religious fervor.

"Commander, I need to talk with two of my colleagues, but if I'm right your bondmate may just be the first living person to be released from a dark mark!"


	31. Chapter 30: Monday Manuvers

Chapter 30 – Monday Maneuvers

Harry and his ladies stood before Headmistress McGonagall and surveyed the artifacts that had once housed Tom Riddle's soul: the diary still holed by the basilisk's fang, the one that had been created by murdering Myrtle Frisbee, the ring, a product of patricide, the locket, the cup the inkwell and the scabbard and belt; each and every one created by an act of ultimate evil.

"Commander" the professor began, "none of these objects carry any part of Riddle's soul anymore but they have all been touched by dark magic. I would prefer that they not be left here. As you seem to be able to use them with no ill effects might I suggest that you take them with you?"

This was a great relief to Harry, who was going to ask to borrow the objects, thinking they might give him a psychological advantage over the self-styled Dark Lord during the final confrontation.

"Yes ma'am, I think I may be able to find a use for them in all of this."

The aged pedagogue walked over to the glass case containing Gryffindor's sword and whispered "_patefaciamus_" which made the case swing open.

"The scabbard would be impractical without a proper sword, and this one will fit perfectly, I believe."

Harry was stunned "Headmistress, I can't take the Sword of Gryffindor, it belongs here at Hogwarts!"

"Indeed it does, be sure to bring it back when you have finished with this business, Commander Potter."

She offered the sword with a slight curtsey and a saucy grin that made Harry realize what a rare beauty she had been a few decades before. He accepted the blade reverently and sheathed it in its scabbard.

"I will, Professor, I promise."

Headmistress McGonagall knew he had every intention of keeping that promise.

"Commander?" Marietta gestured for him to turn. When he did she unbuckled his regimental sword belt and handed it to Belle, then took Gryffindor's blade and scabbard fixing it around her commanding officer's waist.

The jeweled handle, gaudy in more plebian surroundings looked resplendent against the background of his black uniform and maroon cloak.

"Lieutenant?" Harry accepted the regimental sword from Belle and affixed it to Marietta's tiny waist; he had to admit it looked damn fine resting on the pleasing curve of her hip.

Belle performed a shrinking charm on all of the remaining objects and placed them in a small velvet black bag which she handed to Harry. Pocketing the bag within his cloak he turned to McGonagall and said "thank you ma'am for your help and hospitality, I look forward to seeing this castle become our school again."

He offered his hand which the headmistress took before she pulled him into an awkward embrace. "Take care Harry, please do what you have to do and come back to us safe and whole!" She kissed his cheek and stood back defiantly as if to dare anyone to laugh at her acting like a foolish old woman.

"Lieutenant Edgecombe, Miss Black, Miss Frisbee, I charge you to watch over the Commander, he needs looking after."

Marietta snapped to attention, "yes ma'am!"

Belle embraced the old professor and Myrtle repeated her thanks from earlier.

Harry took a handful of floo powder then looked at the ghost "can you use the floo network Myrtle?"

"I'm pretty sure I can if I'm 'visiting' one of you as you go."

"Well, please join me then."

"Anytime, Harry, anytime!"

He had the good graces to blush at the innuendo just as she slipped into his body.

"Avalon Regimental Headquarters!" he said clearly as he threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace. He stepped in and then stepped out in the floo connection at regimental headquarters. The semi-transparent ghost continued to rotate inside him as he stepped out so that she flashed in and out of sight until the spinning stopped.

"Ooooo, I haven't been dizzy like that in ages!"

As it was the weekend no one was in the floo room so no one saw the Myrtle with Harry, which was good as they had all agreed to keep the ghost girl hidden so that she could be a secret weapon of search and surveillance.

She could be the ideal spy because Harry and Belle could speak to Myrtle when she 'visited' either of them much in the same way that Belle and Harry could communicate with each other over their bond. More importantly, Marietta could, if she really projected, communicate with Myrtle – perhaps owing to the fact that she had been the first living person with whom the ghost had merged.

When the group returned to Harry's bungalow they walked in on a flurry of auror trainee activity.

Sergeant Major Moody greeted them at the door "Glad t'see you all back Commander, Lef' tenant, Ma'am."

"Sergeant Major, how are preparations going?"

"Excellent sir, rules of engagement are on your desk, the venue has been chosen and final maneuvers will commence in" he checked his pocket-watch, which just happened to be on his pocket flask, so of course while he had it out he took a little nip, "in fifteen hours sir."

"Are all the repples here?"

"Aye sir; and grinning like hyenas"

"We'll be ready to deploy tomorrow?"

"We're ready to deploy now, Commander."

"Seriously, Sergeant Major?"

"The troops are just waiting for you t'give the word sir."

"The word is given Sergeant Major Moody!"

Commander Ernie McClaggan stood at the head of four neat rows of auror trainees, the four platoons that made up Avalon Seventh Company, the "Lucky 7th" had always beaten its sister companies and McClaggan was determined to not be the one to break that record. He had drilled his company relentlessly, micromanaging every aspect of training and deportment, he loved his rank and authority and was generally hated by all those unfortunate enough to have to serve under him. There was a McClaggan very highly placed in the ministry that had ensured his rapid promotion and he had taken to command like a duck to water, well, okay his troops were demoralized and couldn't fire a spell straight for more than ten feet, and they constantly complained about his 'leadership style,' but hey, he was not there to be liked, he was there to get the job done. And the Lucky 7th could out march any other company in the regiment.

The mission was simple, just get over the hill, and capture the flag. His plan was simplicity itself. March over the hilltop with his two score and ten, him leading from the front, of course and out duel the commander of the 'Fighting Ninth.' He'd heard good things about the mysterious Commander Evans, how his company was already combat ready and just itching to get into the fight against "you know who." He respected that; maybe after he'd beaten Evans in a fair duel he could share some of his own leadership pearls.

"Company! Fall in! Attention!" he commanded, this was all unnecessary because the company was already formed and at attention.

"Forward, march!"

Fifty pairs of shiny dragonhide boots moved in perfect unison and marched straight up the hill. As soon as McClaggan crested the hill he saw the gold flag of the Fighting 9th fluttering in the breeze and a lone figure in a command cloak sitting cross-legged in a comfortable chintz chair reading a small book. The man hadn't even looked up from his book as the Lucky 7th crested the hill.

McClaggan was so amazed by the audacity of the other commander that he missed the muffled sounds of his troops behind him. As soon as McClaggan had crested the hill Harry's camouflaged troops had petrified, stupefied and silenced the other company starting with the back most troops in their perfect formation. By the time the rest of the company realized they were in trouble it was too late and they too were magically bound and gagged. So it was that Mclaggan marched down the hill alone, oblivious to the fate of his command.

"Commander Evans, my compliments sir" McClaggan bellowed, "as I am here with my whole company and you seem to be without one do you wish to yield sir?"

Harry didn't even look up from his book, he just asked "what company?"

McClaggan turned to gesture at . . . nothing.

"My command! Where is my command?"

Harry looked up, but didn't rise "lose something Commander?"

"See here Evans! What have you done to my troops?"

"Well, McClaggan, we are at war, and y'know, shite happens."

"Forget shite! Where are my aurors?"

"They've been attended to and will be returned in good time, meanwhile as you seem to be shy about fifty troops, do _you_ yield Commander?"

"I think I can take you" McClaggan boasted.

"Commander, and I use the term loosely in your case, my men and women have taken out all, and I mean all of your troops with no casualties to themselves, are you sure you don't want to just admit defeat?"

Just then Marietta came skipping down the hill wearing the blue flag of the Lucky Seventh as a cape over her camouflaged fatigues.

"By the rules of engagement we have captured the flag Commander Evans. I believe that means we've won!" She was out of breath but beaming with success.

"That is totally unfair, there was no engagement, and you, and you snuck up on us in a COWARDLY attack when we weren't looking."

Harry was on his feet now and made no effort to mask his disgust "McClaggan, is that what you've been teaching your troops? To play fair, to march into combat like it's some kind of fuckin' parade? If so you owe them an apology, because before they can be put into the field in ANY capacity they're going to need training, and they're not getting it from you!"

"That's your opinion Evans, my troops have discipline, my troops know how to march, and my troops know how to present a proper military bearing!"

"Yeah, arsehole, they'll make great looking corpses!"

Marietta snickered and McClaggan rounded on her shouting "shut up bitch!" as he backhanded her across the mouth.

Harry moved quickly to stop the blow from landing but wasn't fast enough. He roared in frustration, he hadn't expected that, a commanding officer striking a subordinate? Who'd have thought McClaggan had it in him?

Harry's expression was cold as dry ice and as hard as diamonds as he was about to . . .

Marietta raised her hand to stop Harry and calmly said "I accept."

Both men looked confused for just a moment and then Harry grinned evilly.

"Oh McClaggan, you are going to wish you hadn't done that."

"What?"

"McClaggan of the Clan McClaggan you have set the challenge and I Edgecombe of the clan Evans" she looked at Harry who nodded his approval, "Edgecombe of the clan Evans accept."

"Since my adjutant is the injured party choice of weapons is hers."

"I choose quarterstaffs, at noon, top of the hill. Be there or forfeit what ever honor you have left McClaggan!"

She whipped off the defeated company's flag and folded it reverently, "good men and women have died under this banner, I promise you I meant it no disrespect" she handed Harry the flag then turned to McClaggan "but you sir, are toast!"

When the sun was directly overhead both companies assembled to watch the single combat between the tall, broad shouldered Scotsman and the petite Irishwoman, no one in the Lucky 7th doubted the outcome, oddly enough no one in the Fighting 9th doubted it either, they had seen Lieutenant Edgecombe go one on one with Commander Evans and about half the time she handed him his arse and nobody else had been able to take the Commander. Of course betting was rampant; Edgecombe getting five to one odds against the larger, stronger opponent. Everyone agreed it would be a short duel.

McClaggan stripped to his waist showing off his impressive musculature and did a complex series of bo katas, he clearly had been trained at some point. As he spun his quarterstaff in front of, to the left of and to the right of his athletic frame he smiled evilly at the diminutive lieutenant who just stood in a loose 'ready' position waiting for the git to quit posturing.

"Will ye be dancin' all day or did y'come ta fight?"

McClaggan growled and tried a one-two combination designed to split her skull and then sweep her feet out from under her. Two small problems: she blocked the head shot and jumped over the sweep, then while his right arm was hyper extended she cracked his elbow effectively numbing his whole right arm.

She went back to the ready position as he shook his arm trying to get some feeling back.

He circled around looking for some advantage, and thought he had it when he stabbed the ground with the end of the staff, he had been hoping to break her foot but she simply moved it and brought her staff down on his knuckles forcing him to let go of his.

He shook his hand in pain before he realized that his staff was still stuck in the ground – she had disarmed him.

He snatched the quarterstaff out of the ground and re-commenced circling his opponent she feigned a quick downward strike which he blocked by bringing his staff straight up with both hands – trouble was, at the last instant Marietta reversed the strike so that the other end came up between his legs. Hard. The sound was like that of the flat of a cricket bat hitting a naugahide couch. Every man in attendance winced at the hit; it was that painful to watch. The petit lieutenant skipped back a pace as McClaggan swung ineffectively, half blinded by pain. He kept swinging back and forth rhythmically so that she was able to get in an annoying strike to his ribs, arms or elbows; whatever part of his body he was willing to expose every time he tried for a hit. He kept his bullocks safe though, every time he saw the business end of her quarterstaff he would snap his knees tightly together – not the most impressive fighting stance.

Sooner or later even the dumbest steer in the slaughterhouse realizes what's happening. She was playing with him. She felt she could end this at any time but she was humiliating him. He saw red. He took hold of the quarterstaff and held it like a long club and began to swing wildly back and forth counting on his size and his rage to overcome the snarky bitch.

This was, of course exactly what Marietta was expecting, indeed waiting for; as he swung hard to his left she used the end of her staff to crack his left kneecap into two neat pieces.

He went down howling until Marietta laid him out with a stroke that loosened several teeth and left an angry red welt up the side of his head. He fell to the ground face first.

A cheer went up from the ninth company and an equally loud groan from the seventh and Harry, thinking 'decorum be damned' captured Marietta in a hug swinging her around. He _did_ put her down when he saw Commandant Hayden storming up the hill; Sergeant Major Moody limping behind.

"Commander Evans, report!"

Harry told the commandant of the quick and decisive 'battle' that morning and how McClaggan had lost his temper and assaulted his adjutant, according to regulations she accepted the challenge and broke a few of his bones in the process.

Hayden could see the split lips and bruising on Marietta's face and asked "is that from the duel?"

"No sir, it's from when he backhanded me, I think his ring broke me tooth" upon close inspection they could tell three teeth were broken.

"Uncalled for, that man is unfit for command, Sergeant Major!"

"Aye sir."

"Get him out of here!"

"Commandant, if I may" Harry interjected, "you are right, he can't lead a thirsty hippogryph to water but he does have organizational and administrative skills. Perhaps we could use him in a staff position?"

The commandant looked at Harry and broke into a broad grin "damn fine thinking Commander, don't waste resources, all right Evans, you've got yourself a dog-robber, see what you can do with him!"

"Aye sir . . ." he said, not very enthusiastically.

Moody looked like he was going to bust a gut trying not to laugh. Harry had just saddled himself with the biggest git in the camp.

The Commandant turned to Marietta and said "Lieutenant, get y'self to the healer straight away!"

"Aye sir!" she replied and apparated away to the infirmary.

Looking down at the unconscious ex-commander on the ground the old man said "somebody side-along _Corporal_ McClaggan to the infirmary as well."

"Evans" he said, "fine job today, good leadership instincts, good follow through, next field maneuver in two days, get some rest then figure out how you're going to beat Fifth Company, they're not going to fall for your camouflage tricks y'know!"

"Aye sir" Harry saluted as the old Commandant strolled off.

Harry stepped to the top of the hill and called out in his command voice, "Lucky Seventh, you were a magnificent and intimidating sight marching up that hill today, you followed the orders of those who were appointed above you and no one will ever fault you for that. But hear this all of you, because one of you will have to step up and assume command, respect and command goes up and down the ranks; from the rawest recruit to the Ministers of Magic and Defense and down again. Identify your strengths, make use of the talented people I know you have and work together, be a team and while another team might beat you, no one will ever defeat you!"

"Oi, we'll follow you Commander!" someone from the 7th shouted to a chorus of 'hear hears' and Harry smiled broadly.

"Sorry boys and girls, I already have a job and I've got to sleep sometimes!"

More laughter followed, then Harry said "there's hot food and cold stout in the open mess and you're all invited! Companies! Dis – missed!"

The sound of a general cheer went up then was eclipsed by that of over a hundred apparations. Back at the base some of the muggleborns said it sounded like the world's largest popcorn popper.

Harry apparated straight to the infirmary where Healer Dumphries was putting the finishing touches on Marietta's teeth.

"Good as new, Lieutenant" the healer said then motioning for Harry said "I can release her into your care Commander."

"Thank you Healer Dumphries."

"Would you like that potion now?"

Marietta's eyebrows went up.

Harry saw the reaction and groaned, "no sir, not just yet I don't want to lose it."

"It's going to be more uncomfortable as it progresses you know."

"Harry just shrugged"

Marietta was getting concerned "Healer Dumphries, what's all this then?"

"Oh, sorry, I thought you knew."

"Knew what?"

"Seems our Commander is reluctant to take the dampening draught."

She looked at Harry as though he had grown a third eye "are ye daft man, how d'you expect to get through this without it?"

"Belle needs me, is all, if I take the potion she will not be able to sense me anymore, and I won't be with her the same way either."

"Healer, have ye not told him what'll happen?"

"I have."

"Come along _Commander_" Marietta said, with an edge to her voice, "we're going home!"

Harry nodded and gathering up his courage followed her out.

ooo000ooo

The concept of "Dog Robber" is easily explained, just find a store that carries old movies, and find the DVD titled "The Americanization of Emily." The short version, a dog robber is the guy in just about every command who can find anything you might need, think of him as a military concierge.


	32. Chapter 31: The Dampening Draught

Chapter 31 – The Dampening Draught

"Of all the stubborn, thick headed, ill thought out, stupid . . ." Marietta slammed the door of the bungalow as she entered, heedless of Harry who was on the other side.

"I told him you would react this way" Belle said calmly from the living room couch.

"You knew? Oh, duh, of course you knew, you're only in his bleedin' ead!"

The door opened and Harry came in "I don't see what the problem is . . ."

Marietta spun toward him "don't see the problem? In case you haven't noticed boys aren't built to make babies!"

"Belle, please tell this great lummox what the first potion in recorded history was, it was in Egypt yeah? Five thousand years ago, that's how long it's been around!"

Belle added, "It's generally agreed that the dampening drought was the first potion ever brewed" she looked thoughtful for a moment then added "I think beer was second."

Marietta was on a tear "so lets just ignore five thousand years of magical medicine and decide to 'tough it out' while your bondmate has a baby!"

"Marie, please, listen to me?" Harry soothed.

She sat on the couch next to Belle and glared up at him.

Healer Dumphries told me all that, told me that wizards who are bonded take the dampening drought so that they don't have the sympathetic symptoms of pregnancy, but if I take it we lose our bond, we won't be connected like we are now. Besides, I'm really not pregnant, I just share a few symptoms, there's nothing growing inside of me, well, I hope not anyway."

Marietta started to say something but Harry stopped her with a soothing gesture.

"Marie, I've been so alone, ten years living with those – people – you have no idea, then the miracle that is Hogwarts, friends but never someone who I could really share who I am and what I want to do and that's Belle, and, and you."

"But Harry . . ." she started

"And Belle has lived without love for seventeen years, thirteen of those in Azkaban, we support each other, we complete each other. I can't even think about taking a potion that would cheat us of that."

He lowered his voice so that it was just above a whisper.

"Did you mean it when you said you would stop using the contraceptive spell when we've graduated?"

She nodded.

"Because you want that connection too?"

She nodded again and said "partly."

"That's what I want too. I want the lines of where I end and you begin to be blurred as they are with Belle and me. I'm willing to endure it, the water retention thing, the emotional roller coaster, weight gain even the false labor as you must endure all these things for me if you're going to have my baby boy."

Regardless of her frustration with 'the boy who seemed to have to suffer' she couldn't help but grin "Baby boy, is that wishful thinking or are you a seer now too?"

He shrugged, "hey, we've got a fifty-fifty chance right?"

"But Harry" she pleaded, "this is what our bodies are put together for, every feminine feature we have is built around having the babies, the softness the breasts the wide hipbones. Bottom line – we're supposed to have the babies, didn't the healer tell you what happens to men who undergo the false labor?"

"He said that sometimes the men have hernias and internal bleeding and some pain."

"Always Harry, men in pseudo-labor _always_ have their insides tearing themselves up trying to deliver what's not there!"

"And afterward the healers will wave their wands or crystals or whatever and I'm fine again."

"Unless you DIE!"

"When was the last time a man died in childbirth?"

"Let me see," she thought, "sometime in the last century? Of course that might be 'cause they always take the bleedin' potion!"

He kneeled in front of her "if I promise to take the potion if the pain gets too unbearable will you let me do this?"

"What's your pain threshold like?"

"Oh, very low, I cry when I get a paper cut, really!"

"Liar" Belle interjected, "you've been crucioed by Riddle!"

Marietta glared at him again, he just shrugged.

"Come along Commander" she said with an exasperated sigh "we have to make an appearance at your party, are you coming Belle?"

"All right" she answered and stepped into her slippers.

When the trio arrived the party was in full swing, the Seventh and Ninth Companies were enjoying the camaraderie as Commander Evans (Potter to his friends) pressed the flesh.

"Oi, why don't we combine companies?" one of the revelers shouted "then we'd be the, uh, um . . ."

"The Sixteenth you moron!" someone in the crowd laughed.

"Thas' right, sixteenth, sorry, y'know they say math skills are the first things that go when you drink!"

"I thought it was the todger!" one of the female recruits shouted to raucous approval.

"Knock, knock, knock!" Baxter shouted.

"Drink is the great equivocator!" Morris added.

"It sets a man on, and it puts a man off!" a third voice offered.

"It makes a man stand to, and not stand to!" Baxter rejoined.

"It increased the desire and decreases the performance!" Morris concluded.

"Hey Commander, is that why you're not drinking?" the room reverberated in good natured laughter.

While all this was happening Belle saw one recruit sitting off by himself, and went to offer him some company.

"Hello?"

He was startled as her voice interrupted his musings, and then startled again as he recognized her, but he said "I'm all right, ma'am."

"Would you like something to eat, a sandwich?"

"No, thank you ma'am" he said through gritted teeth "I'm fine."

"Do I know you?" she asked, a little apprehensively.

"No ma'am, not me, but you met my Papa."

There was a cold, sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Y'see ma'am, all of the senior staff know who you are, red hair notwithstanding, and I was the one on the hill last week, the one with the rifle."

The ice in her stomach migrated to her bowels.

"My Papa was an auror, just like me, well, in a couple of days anyway. Anyway he went with his team to capture some death eaters a few years back and well, he didn't come back. But they say it was Bellatrix Lestrange that did him, and that she laughed as he lay screaming from the pain."

"I don't know what to say" she whispered.

"Nothing to say ma'am, Commander Potter says you're all good now and I believe him, I believe in him cause he trusts people, y'know?"

She nodded.

"But me, I always gotta think, and I think and I know you want to say "sorry about your Papa" but ma'am" he stood up and reached into his uniform pocket "some things 'sorry' don't make right."

He pulled a rifle cartridge out of his pocket.

"Do y'know what this is ma'am?"

"It's a bullet, isn't it? I saw what one did to a death eater back at the caverns."

"Yes ma'am, right in one. This one is for anyone and I mean anyone who hurts or tries to hurt Commander Potter. Do we understand each other ma'am?"

She nodded.

He continued "all these exercises, they're just games, y'know? Last week I killed three men. I'm the only recruit here who can say that an' it bothers me that it bothers me. I mean, these are death eaters, right? But death eaters have Mamas and Papas wives and husbands and little ones of their own, and when we kill them doesn't blood cry out for blood?"

"Some people think so." She responded, just above a whisper.

"What if someone just says 'enough' and doesn't demand blood for blood, would that break the cycle?"

"Goddess knows I hope it can be so."

Jose Cruz looked at the bullet in his open palm and offered it to Belle, who took it gingerly as if it could sting her.

"My people have a saying, '_dejado haya paz entre nosotros_.' It means 'let there be peace between us' I say '_deje la paz comenzar con nosotros_' 'let peace begin with us" he nodded to her and said "Good night ma'am."

She stood transfixed by the young man who had the courage to not hate; she was so overwhelmed by his profound insight that she didn't immediately feel Harry at her side.

Harry touched her elbow, "do you want to go back to our place?"

She looked up at him and asked "you heard?"

He tapped the side of his skull, "of course I heard."

"He's a rare man; he wants to be a peacemaker. All of us, magic and mundane alike, are going to need a lot more like him if we hope to have a future."

"Um hum" he nodded, "you know what I think?"

She smirked at him.

"Oh, yeah, of course you know, but let me say it anyway. When this is all over we're going to up and leave the UK, maybe not altogether but maybe Australia or New Zealand, what do you think?"

She smirked again.

"Oh yeah, you can run but you can't hide" he said, answering for her.

She smiled and said, "I like your idea of a nice long vacation, maybe three or four years?"

He gathered her in a warm embrace, "really; how hard can it be to travel with a baby or two?"

"Mister Baxter!" Harry called out.

"Sah!"

"Please make sure everyone gets both potions before you turn in, and tell the senior staff that we'll meet in my quarters for lunch and brainstorming."

"Sah, yes sah!"

"And Baxter?"

"Sah?"

"Have some fun tonight, that's an order!"

Charles Baxter saluted smartly and strode off purposefully.

"I may have just created a monster" Harry mused.

They found Marietta and told her they were going back to the bungalow and that she could stay and party if she wanted to.

"As much fun as this gang of reprobates is there is no one here I'd rather be with than you loves, hey" she grabbed two stouts in each hand to take out "let's see if we can get our ghost girl pissed!"

Harry and Belle found themselves drawn into Marietta's ebullience and grabbed a bottle each on the way out.

ooo000ooo

"Myrtle we've brought the party home!" Marietta sang out as they walked into Harry's bungalow.

The ghost slipped out of the bookshelf and smiled, "party? I've never been to one although I have peeked in on some at school" she giggled "you wouldn't believe how naughty some of them turned out!"

"Well come on in luv, let's get you pissed!"

"Oh my . . ." she said nervously as she phased into Marietta.

A resounding "cheers!" and they all sat on the rug in front of the couch, popped open their stouts and took a deep pull from the bottles.

Harry stopped in mid swig and practically sputtered out "Belle, should you be drinking?"

She smiled and said "I can have this" as she handed her bottle over to him.

He sniffed and tasted that she had transfigured the stout into fruit juice, "oh, that's all right then," handed the bottle back to her, lifted his and said "cheers!"

Somewhere around the fourth bottle Marietta started acting a bit loopy as the drink hit her 'visitor' hard. Apparently Myrtle was a 'a bit of a lightweight.'

"Ish it warm t'you in here?" she slurred while fumbling for the buttons on her fatigue blouse.

"A bit," Harry chuckled.

"Oh Haaaary . . . not hairy" Myrtle/Marietta giggled, Marietta was obviously letting Myrtle have the full measure of the intoxication, "d'you know when I firs' knew you were gonna be, urp, s'cuse me, gonna be great?"

"No Myrtle, why don't you tell us?"

"Twas when you and Hermi–oh–my-knee were in my loo makin' the poly-je-ooose po-shun. You were so focused, you and Oh-oh-my-knee, what was Ron doing then? Oh yeah, he was always trying to put imself in front of Her-my own knee's knees." She giggled at this, "he was peekin' up her skirt with is' ands in is' pockets!" She rolled onto her back cackling, "I see England, I see France, I see Oh-mine-knee's . . . knickers!"

She sat up suddenly and put a hand to her head, obviously dizzy. "Why was she in the girl's bathroom sitting leg-crosses, I mean cross-legged on the floor in a skirt with two boys any how?"

"You remember Myrtle, we were making polyjuice potion."

"Yeah, you helped and Ron ogled. Ogle, ogle, ogled."

"Harry," she said in a sultry voice, "I wouldn't mind if you looked at my knickers y'know?"

"I can't do that Myrtle; you'd wake up in the morning and hate me for it."

"Oh I could never hate you Harry, I'll love you till the day I . . . oh, well longer than that!"

"I just mean you're a bit drunk right now, and maybe not thinking straight."

Marietta/Myrtle drew herself up to her full height, well, her full height while sitting cross legged on the floor, and said "I'm not so think as you drunk I am!"

She crawled on her hands and knees over to Harry right over to his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You know, I've seen some things over the years, things girls do ta boys and things boys to with th' girls. Any how, I want t'show you, okay?"

Harry chuckled and grinned, wondering who was in charge of the body at that moment, Myrtle or Marietta?

"What ever you say luv, what do you want to do?"

"Well, first you give me a real kiss, like you do your others – do you know I've never been kissed? You've shagged me silly over the past couple of days and not one kissey, I ask you, iszat fair t'me?"

"No Myrtle, that's not even fair, c'mere" and saying that he gently held her and placed a tender kiss on her upturned lips, which she retuned with equal tenderness until she forgot to breathe and passed out.

Harry held the unconscious woman in his arms and whispered "Myrtle? Myrtle are you in there?"

Myrtle, her head resting on Harry's chest began to snore gently.

Belle was beside herself with silent laughter, her whole body shook trying to keep it all in, "oh my prince, now you can wake her with a kiss!"

Harry chuckled, "Myrtle? How about Marie?"

Marietta's eyelids fluttered open and finding herself in her lover's arms she purred in pleasure, "this is nice."

"How about a nice bath and then t'bed?"

"Long as you don't plan sleeping for a while!"

"Come along ladies" Harry said as he stood, displacing a disgruntled Marietta.

"I'll give you a nice massage . . ."

Marietta jumped up and bolted to the bathroom.

"I'll take that as a yes then, coming milady?"

"Oh at least twice tonight if you're up to it m'lord . . ."

"He chuckled and reached down to help her stand."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Only every minute of every day m'lord," she smiled at his reaction, "not so much in words, though I never tire of hearing you say it, but love shines in your eyes when you look at me and I can feel it through our bond, and I know you feel it too."

"That's why I don't want to give it up, I've come to need you here" he tapped his forehead, "I don't want either of us to be alone anymore."

"While there is breath in my body, you will not be my lord."

The truth of that simple statement staggered Harry and he enfolded Belle into a gentle embrace.

"My lord, I know how much you love me, and you cannot love me less for taking the dampening draught."

"Later Belle, okay?"

"As you say my lord, and by the way, I love you too."

They kissed tenderly until they heard "Woooo hooooo! Followed by a splash that had water out the bathroom door.

They both laughed, enjoying the antics of their other lovers and hand in hand walked into the bathroom.

ooo000ooo

Some of you might recognize the "Porter's Speech" from the Scottish Play, one of Shakespeare's better comedic passages. Hey, if you're gonna steal a gag, steal from the best!


	33. Chapter 32: Wednesday Manuvers and Gradu

Chapter 32 – Wednesday Maneuvers and Graduation

Tuesday was spent in final preparations for the last training maneuvers, scheduled for the next day. Half the company was in Ghillie suit training and close quarter hand to hand. The other half was training in an undisclosed location, but everyone agreed that whatever tactic Commander Potter employed, Fifth Company, Avalon Regiment would remember it and shudder.

Sometime around mid-afternoon the senior staff and half the platoon apparated back from wherever it had been training looking sunburned, windswept and elated. The half of the company that had been with them was sent straight to the barracks to clean up before heading to the open mess for tea. Harry addressed the other half, "Gamma and Delta squads, you look like you can handle just about anything Fifth Company can throw at you, we don't want to over train today so head back to the barracks, get cleaned up, tea-ed up and just relax. I know you want to know what Alpha and Beta squads have been up to today, but leave them alone all right?" he smirked as he added "don't want to spoil the surprise!"

The camouflaged half of the Fighting Ninth chuckled evilly.

The next morning found Company Commander Jake Donovan surveying the field before him through a pair of muggle field glasses, courtesy of his brother-in-law, Royal Marines, retired. Jake was a tall, broad shouldered sandy-haired man in his early twenties, he hadn't gone straight to auror training out of Hogwarts, he'd been a sales clerk, then an early morning announcer for the WWN before starting his military career. His life experiences had given him a level of maturity that his younger fellow trainees respected and he quickly rose through the ranks. When he heard about the changes happening in Ninth Company he investigated and was amazed at what he saw. It was as though Evans was running a school of unconventional warfare and the results spoke for themselves – Donovan had made up his mind right then to 'break out of the mold' as it were and enjoy some results of his own. He was thrilled and intimidated by the neat way Ninth Company had taken down the Seventh, thrilled at the cold, calculating efficiency, intimidated because he knew he would be the next victim if he wasn't very careful.

"I know you're out there Evans," he muttered to himself "you won't get me with your invisibility tricks."

He turned to his adjutant "have the shooters come up and lay several stunners and reductors in a wide pattern near the crest of that hill."

Using predetermined hand signals the lieutenant had four aurors in black fatigues sight in on the top of the hill and fire off a combination of reductor and stunning hexes.

The first reductor sent a large flock of black birds into the air where they squawked in protest as they circled above the peak. One stunner suddenly shot upward at a tight angle, striking two of the birds and felling them.

Donovan smiled; he'd seen were the camouflaged troops were from the shields they had put up.

"Alpha Five and Gamma Five squads, advance in covering formation."

With deadly precision the two dozen men and women moved toward the peak in eight groups of three, two aurors provided covering fire to keep the enemy's head down as the third would advance before dropping down to a firing position so that another of the team could move forward. Everyone in the company could see where the shields were because of the way spellfire was being deflected. As the first squad leader reached the top of the hill he sent a stunner into a suspicious clump of grass and was gratified to note that it wasn't deflected.

"Got one!" he shouted, then reached down and pulled up a camouflaged fatigue jacket, an _empty_ camouflaged fatigue jacket! He didn't notice the shield rune that fell out of the uniform as he held it aloft, looking questioningly back at his commanding officer.

Commander Donovan went white "Oh shite! It's a trap lads, fall back! Fall back!"

Just then the conjured flock of blackbirds dissipated and revealed two dozen men and women on broomsticks diving at them from directly overhead, coming out of the sun in a classic combination of Wonski Feint and Stuka Dive bomber attack.

Commander Evans in the lead, flanked by Lieutenant Edgecombe and Auror Cruz and all the broom borne aurors were firing stunners to great effect on both groups of the divided Fifth Company. The flyers pulled up just before striking the ground and split into two deadly accurate formations, one streaking up the hill to stun and bind the two squads there, the other creating mayhem as flyers scattered the troops at the bottom of the hill. Then, unexpectedly all the flyers streaked straight upwards.

"Shoot em' now, shoot em' now!" screamed the commander as he spared a glance at his men and women scattered on the ground all around him.

Donovan couldn't believe his luck as he sighted in on the lead flyer, "now Evans, I'll show you why we don't fly brooms into combat." To his remaining troops he called out, "pick a target and knock it down, we'll cushion the ground under them so they don't get hurt _too_ badly!"

Everyone who could aimed their wands upward and at that moment, when all of Fifth Company's eyes were on the sky, the rest of the expertly camouflaged Seventh Company rose from the flanks and stunned those aurors who were still standing.

Harry touched down in front of Commander Donovan and enervated him.

"Evans," the auror groaned, "just one question?"

"What's that Commander?"

"When we've graduated, can I join your command?"

Harry laughed and offered his hand to the downed officer.

"Not a chance Donovan, we need all the good officers we can get, and we need you leading troops!"

"But I got my arse handed to me today, I'll be lucky to graduate, let alone keep my commission."

"Donovan, I'll make you a promise," Harry said earnestly, "if they relieve you of your command I will resign my commission."

Jake Donovan realized at that time that he was looking at a young man who would some day be the leader of magical Britain.

The commandant apparated into the aftermath of the battle and congratulated both the commanders on a job well done, he turned to Donovan and asked "where did you get the idea to advance like that? That was fine teamwork Commander!"

"Thank you sir, I got it from my brother in law, late of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, sir!"

"Between you and Commander Potter here," both Harry and Jake Donovan looked shocked at the announcement. The commandant chuckled and explained "Potter, I've been wearing this uniform for over forty years, and I know a fast paper shuffle when I see one, I don't give a flying hex for what you call yourself but I could see the Sergeant Major's hand in all of this so I cornered him and since my rank and position trumps General Order Number Three he had no choice but to tell me. You can call yourself Evans or Potter or Stubby Boardman for all I care, what I do care about is that these aurors are the finest I've seen come through here in almost twenty years and its all due to your complete disregard for the outdated training they've been receiving."

The Commandant turned to Donovan, "would you have tried your new tactics if Potter here hadn't shown the initiative first?"

"No sir, it was observing Commander Ev, um, Potter here that made me want to try and 'break the mold,' as it were, sir."

"Potter, you have an exceptional gift, that of inpiration, that and your ability to adapt to changing situations demonstrates that you are uniquely suited for command."

"Commanders, get your lads and lasses back to the barracks, make sure they look nice and shiny for Commencement on Friday, until then they are yours to congratulate." The Commandant stood tall and straight and saluted the Commanders, who returned the salute smartly.

"By your leave Commander Potter, Commander Donovan" and the old officer apparated away.

"Potter?" Donovan asked.

Harry nodded.

"Harry Potter?"

Harry grimaced and nodded again.

Donovan grinned, "The boy who lived just kicked my arse in a fair fight, damn, that's one I'll be tellin' me grandbabies!"

"Just remember General Order Number Three says no one outside of our command structure needs to know, all right?"

"Of course, _Harry_!" the big Irishman grinned.

"Lets call the troops together, shall we?" Harry said, shaking his head.

"Gather round' boys and girls" he called out in his best command voice, "Fifth Company, you are invited to a reception being held at the open mess in," he caught the gaze of his adjutant who silently signed '1 hour' "in one hour, so get y'selves cleaned up and we'll see you all there!"

Harry appeared in Regimental HQ's administrative offices to make his final report. He had just stepped out of the apparation alcove when he heard a voice thundering like the wrath of an ancient Gallic deity.

"Demoted! You were a commander for Merlin's sake! How could you do this to us? There hasn't been a McClaggan in the enlisted ranks in five generations! Who's responsible for this? I'll go to the Minister himself, this won't stand, I won't stand for it."

Harry sighed as he knew he was about to be dragged into yet another family drama when he heard Ernie McClaggan say, "no dad, you won't."

"Don't you tell me what I won't . . ."

"That's the way of it innit?" Ernie's voice grew sharp, but not loud "no one tells you anythin'. 'You're a McClaggan, you're bigger, stronger, faster and smarter than anyone' right dad? Never back down from a fight and never say no to a dare. I nearly died eating those doxy eggs a couple o' years back and what did it get me?"

"Respect, I'll wager" the red faced, barrel chested elder McClaggan rejoined.

"No, da', I got just the opposite, a handful of sickles and a reputation. 'What a balmy git' they said, and they was exactly right. I been beat more in the past two days than I have in the past 18 years of my life an' you know what? I'm glad of it!"

"Commander Po, um, Evans is spot on, I owe my company an apology, all I did was make them spit shine and march pretty – 'great lookin' corpses' he said, and he was right, an then his lef' tenant, all eight stone of her gave me a proper doin' over and she was right to do so. Dad, I can't be you, I never was; and tryin' t'be was just going to get good men and women killed, and I won't do it!"

"You're a busted officer, who's goin' to have you? Just pack it in, we'll go home and figure somethin' else. I dunno, maybe you can work for your uncle."

"No dad, I'm stayin. I didn't join up to be an officer, I joined up to fight for something bigger than meself, and if I have to do it from behind a desk I'll be doin' the best I can. Maybe in three years, after my enlistments' up I'll find somethin' else, but for now I'm stayin' right here."

"Show me a commander who'll give you a second chance an' I'll leave you to him, otherwise, I'm goin' home and you're comin' with me!"

"Mister McClaggan?" Harry interjected.

"Yes / yes." They both answered.

Harry addressed McClaggan senior, "Not you sir, I meant Ernie."

"Sah, yes sah!"

"At ease, auror, we finished the last of the maneuvers today, only thing left to do is to march across the parade field and pick up our brassards." The younger Scotsman relaxed as Harry continued "word has it that you are a brilliant organizer, is that true?"

"Sah, I mean, yes'sir."

"Just so happens I'm in need of a brilliant organizer, so if you're done here my staff needs to assemble at the open mess in" he looked at his watch, "forty minutes. Can I count on you _Sergeant_?" As Harry said this an additional chevron appeared on the young man's shoulder.

"Forty minutes, open mess, no problem sir."

"Very well" and turning to the elder man he said "Ernie has a chance to do very well in the Auror Corps, don't try to take that away from him, sir."

As Harry walked away he heard McClaggan senior say "Sergeant McClaggan . . . has a nice ring to it . . ."

He dropped the final paperwork in the 'out' box on his desk and nodded in satisfaction as it was spirited away to someone else's 'in' box, then apparated back to his bedroom.

Marietta was in full dress uniform which included a neatly tailored skirt under her cloak of rank.

"No time to soak in the tub commander, you'll have to run through the rain locker" she said as she laid his dress uniform out on the bed.

He sighed and peeled out of his fatigues and padded barefoot toward the shower, when he exited the shower Marietta was waiting for him with a warm, fluffy towel which she draped over his shoulders. As he dried himself he caught a whiff of her perfume and groaned, damn she smelled good! He walked into the bedroom wearing just the towel and saw Marietta bent over at the waist smoothing non-existent wrinkles from his dress uniform. He couldn't resist the temptation and he embraced her from behind so that she could feel his rapidly filling member nestled between the cheeks of her bum. Who would have thought wool could be so soft?

Marietta groaned "off wit' ya, we don't have the time!"

"I know, Marie, but I just wanted you to know what you do to me!"

She stood and turned so that he could kiss her properly, and into that kiss she poured the promise of all that she planned to do for him and to him when they returned later that evening.

"Now get dressed, _sir_!"

"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am!" he answered cheekily.

As he was throwing the cloak over his shoulders he sent his thoughts to Belle who was getting a pre-natal baseline check, "how is our little one doing?"

"She's fine milord, but I'm starting to put on weight!"

"No, really?"

"Yes, really! There's just the tiniest pooch on my belly when I lay down on my back. Healer Dumphries says that that's not unusual but Harry, I don't want to go all fat like Molly Weasley!"

"Ask him if you can run with us in the mornings."

"He says walking is better, and swimming is better still."

"Okay, we'll find a pool and add swimming to our routine, Belle, will you come to the reception with us tonight?"

"If you want me to, milord."

"I love being on the arm of the prettiest lady in the room!"

"Flatterer, besides, you'll be with Marie!"

"True, but we have to maintain the illusion of decorum when we're at a regimental function."

"In that case, I would be honored my love and my lord."

"We'll be right over."

Harry walked into the hall and was amazed at the changes there. First, it seemed to have been enlarged, which was entirely possible of course, second, the tables were covered in fine linens and were in neat rows set by company. His company was along the left side of the room, the Seventh was in the middle and the Fifth on the right. There was a place setting at the head of each table for the "old man" of the company, his adjutant on the right and his guest on the left.

It was cocktail hour before dinner and Harry had selected melon juice in a martini glass for himself and Belle while Marietta sipped butterbeer from a tall stein. Everyone wanted to congratulate Commander "Evans" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), even those in the companies he had so roundly trounced earlier that week. He spied a tall, almost aristocratic looking woman in a cloak of rank and realized that someone had stepped up from Seventh Company to take command. She was walking to the group of well wishers surrounding Harry.

"Commander Evans, or do you prefer Potter?" she asked extending her hand.

He took her hand and brushed the back lightly with his lips as Belle suggested through their bond "In present company, Potter is fine Commander . . ?"

"Oh, sorry." She apologized, "Margaret Webber, Maggie to my friends, at your service sir." Her accent was North American.

"You can let go of her hand now" Belle teased him, and he released it suddenly.

"Canada?" he inquired.

"Montreal, _Je suis le Canada, Monsieur_." In English she added "how did you know? I've been careful not to say 'eh' y'know."

"Just a guess Commander" he answered "if you don't mind my asking, what are your plans for the Seventh?"

"Nothing really, I'll see if my calendar if full on that day."

"No, I mean Seventh Company, what . . ." by this time Harry realized he had been set up, his own ladies were about to burst from trying so hard to not laugh and Maggie smiled a crooked grin and said "gotcha!"

Harry snapped to attention and saluted her with his glass "_touché_!"

She returned the toast and frowned, "actually, even though we'll have graduated from auror training, we're going to Wales for some 'AIT' which is supposed to stand for Advanced Individual Training but really means "to get the combat training we should have gotten."

"I'm sorry about that" Harry said.

"I'm not" she mused, "I'll invest another month in training if it means more of my troops will come home with their shields."

Marietta looked puzzled at the reference.

Belle explained, "In ancient Sparta warriors were exhorted, by their mothers no less, to either come home with their shields as victorious heroes or on them as befitting those who died bravely in battle."

Maggie raised her glass in a toast to Spartans, Spartan mothers and coming home.

A gentle gong sounded and Harry escorted his ladies to their seats, holding their chairs out for them so they could be seated before seating himself.

Marietta leaned toward Harry and whispered "thinking of adding someone else to the 'family' milord?"

"No," he smiled, "not really, but she is a fascinating woman. I think we might become good friends."

Belle teased him with a raised eyebrow.

"No, really! I have more riches than one man should be allowed, I have you" he nodded to Marietta, "and you" he lifted Belle's palm to his lips "and Myrtle now. It would be just plain greedy of me to want more."

"Myrtle heard that Harry, I suspect she's going to want to show you how much she loves you when we get home." She lowered her eyelids and said heavily in Myrtle's voice, "I may not even wait that long!"

"Myrtle?"

Marietta answered in her own voice, "I invited her along, but we won't be drinking anything stronger than butterbeer tonight, she's kind of a light weight when it comes to alcohol."

Harry looked at the menu on his plate and seeing everyone was waiting for him to order first he said "lamb chops, medium please." As soon as he said 'medium' three perfectly cooked chops appeared on his plate served with sauce béarnaise, accompanied by white asparagus and scalloped potatoes au gratin. Both ladies (or rather all three, as Marietta was "eating for two") ordered the roasted chicken.

The dinner was perfect; the party that followed was raucous and loud and was the topic of many a fond remembrance for years to come.

Of course the party after the party was memorable too as Harry and his ladies celebrated well into the wee hours of the morning.

Next day found Harry, Marietta and Ernie up to their eyeballs in paperwork. It seems that everything that is ever done in a military organization must be documented, in triplicate. Ernie was turning out to be, in fact, beyond brilliant as an organizer. When Harry and his lieutenant first arrived it was 0630, they were hoping to get a head start on the paperwork they knew they had to complete before the company could graduate when they arrived at his office at Regimental HQ it was to find Ernie with fifty neat stacks of papers on a long table, alphabetized, chronologicalized, color coded and waiting to go into individual auror folders.

"Oh," McClaggan said as Harry and Marietta entered "you're here, excellent, we can get started now!"

"Started?" Harry said in a more than surprised tone, "looks to me like you're nearly done!"

"Well sir, all the records are collated, and everyone has completed all the requirements for basic auror, some have completed the leadership requirements for non-com, and four have completed all the requirements for commissioning" he paused to take a breath, "yourselves, the Recruit Platoon Leader and a man named Cruz, Jose Cruze, have completed basic officer candidacy requirements. Your actual rank at this time is 3rd lieutenant but I suspect that will change very quickly" he grinned.

"What about yourself Ernie, don't you rate a commission?"

"I respectfully request that we keep that under our collective hats for the time being, sir, I will be declining a commission until I get my head on straight to my own satisfaction."

"Sounds like you're well on your way Sergeant."

"Thank you sir, now if you'll just sign the top three papers of each of the stacks I can get them into folders and off to Brigade HQ."

"I'm surprised that you didn't sign for me, Ernie, this is some fine work here."

"Well, Commander, I did sign where I could, you'll see that forms 11a, 22a, 35a and 39b, c, and d are signed 'E. McC for CDR Potter' sir. But the actual statement of 'training accomplished,' as well as the certificates of completion, non-commission, and commission really should bear your signature, sir."

Harry and Marietta exchanged glances, "Ernie, when did you sleep last?"

"Oh, I don't sleep sir. I thought you knew. That's how I'm able to get so much done; I'd go balmy just sitting around."

"But you have to sleep; people have died from not sleeping!"

"Oh that, that's only true of muggles sir, some wizards never sleep at all. I suspect Dumbledore was one of those."

Partly to change the subject and partly to get done as soon as possible Harry rubbed his hands together and said "well, let's get started." Ernie handed him a self-inking quill and he signed his name along the proper dotted lines one hundred and fifty times.

When he finished he shook out his signing hand and asked cheerfully, "now what?"

"That's it sir, we just have to be in full dress for the last formation tomorrow, then we get our marching orders."

At Harry's puzzled look McClaggan explained "that's when we'll be assigned to individual auror units and take specialty or individual training sir."

Harry nodded his understanding. He would probably be resigning his commission as soon as it became official, for he already had a mission in life, and that was to kill one half human Dork Lord. The thought depressed him.

"Tell me, milord, why are you so disheartened?" he 'heard' Belle over the bond.

"You know, milady, I will miss the excellent company of my fellow aurors and" he sighed mightily "and our Marie."

"Do you think so little of her that you think she would abandon us now?"

"I expect her to, she has worked so hard to get where she is now, I don't want her to throw her future away on me!"

"Now you think too little of yourself milord. Listen carefully, YOU are her future, and my future and Myrtle's as well. We have all seen that you will need us in the coming battle and we will be with you! We. Will. Be. With. You."

"You make me believe I can do this milady. Whatever happens, please know that I love you."

"I believe I do, milord."

Next morning found them all up early and dressed, Belle looking drop-dead gorgeous in a deep forest green tea-length gown, Harry and Marietta looking resplendent in their dress uniforms and cloaks. They took one last, longing look around what had been their home for the past month and walked to the parade ground, Belle on Harry's right arm, Marietta (being 'visited' by Myrtle) walking in step with him to his left.

All too soon Harry stood at the head of his company, four neat rows of twelve his adjutant and sergeant, now Platoon Sergeant McClaggan, standing just behind him.

The 'Fighting Ninth' stood on the far right, facing the podium, the 'Lucky Seventh' to the left, and to the far left the 'Fifth Elementals.' Harry looked over at the other commanders and nodded in greeting.

The voice of Commandant Hayden rang out "Avalon Regiment, Second Brigade, Uh-Ten – shun!"

One-hundred fifty three pairs of heels clicked in unison.

The strains of God Save the Queen flowed over the assembly, reminding them that Avalon Regiment was formed to serve the reigning monarch of the day and that Queen Elizabeth II had put her royal seal on the charter forming the only modern magical military corps.

"Company commanders, report!"

"Avalon Five Two all present or accounted for Sah!"

"Avalon Seven Two all present or accounted for Sah!"

"Avalon Nine Two all present, Sah!"

"Avalon Regiment, Second Brigade, stan-dat – hease!"

"Avalon Regiment, First Brigade was formed under the auspices of the Saxon King Aethelred, to have a magical barrier against the Vikings who ruled much of the lands of Northern Europe of the time. The regiment existed for nearly 700 years until King James VI disbanded the regiment and persecuted all who practiced witchcraft and wizardry."

"When she began her reign, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II could see the growing threat within the magical world and how it was spilling over into the mundane world as well with terrible consequences. For this reason Her Royal Highness commissioned us to once again stand between the realm and those who would destroy it by magical means."

"Rumor has it that your companies will be disbanded to form new training units and that you will be dispersed into existing auror divisions, let me quell this rumor here and now." He managed to capture one-hundred and fifty three pairs of eyes in his own steely gaze, "look at your mates, those with whom you have toiled and bled. They are your brothers and sisters in everything but blood! Why would the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Magic break up families?"

"The war has taken a terrible toll on the lives of our magical brethren; the three companies represented here will be deployed to the three greatest concentrations of magic in the United Kingdom."

Commandant Hayden stepped down from the riser, followed by his adjutant and strode over to Commander Jake Donovan, who snapped to attention. Handing over a rolled parchment he said "Mr. Donovan, this is your commission and your charter, you will proceed to London where you will be charged with the protection of Magical London to include but not limited to Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, St. Mungo's, and the Ministry of Magic. Congratulations and Godspeed commander!"

Next he addressed Commander Margaret Webber, "Miss Webber, this is your commission and your charter, you will proceed to Hogsmeade where you will be charged with the defense of the only purely magical community in the U.K. Congratulations and The Goddess be with you commander!"

Lastly he stopped in front of Harry. Commander Potter, this is your commission and your charter, you will proceed to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where you will be charged with the defense and protection of the future of the wizarding world. Congratulations and Godspeed commander!"

"Tradition demands that I exhort you to greater achievements, but there is no achievement that I can envision that is greater than that which you have already accomplished, you are a unit, strong and brave and relentless in your pursuit of peace, and justice."

"Your commanders have your marching orders, you will proceed with due haste to the facilities that have been set aside for you for the administration of your companies and for the continuation of your training – to quote a great military leader that is has been my privilege to know, 'respect and command goes up and down the ranks; from the rawest recruit to the Ministers of Magic and Defense and down again. Identify your strengths, make use of the talented people I know you have and work together, be a team and while another team might beat you, no one will ever defeat you!'"

The cheer that rose from the ranks was deafening, and no one present doubted that the elation and gratitude was focused on Commander Harry James Potter, the late-comer recruit that had put Auror Military training on its complacent ear and turned it around for the next several generations.

"Avalon Regiment, Second Brigade, Uh-Ten – shun!"

The regiment popped tall.

"Place your wands over your hearts and repeat after me,"

"I, now say your name,"

"do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the land,"

"to obey the orders of the officers appointed above me"

"and to the best of my ability protect and serve"

"all law abiding peoples found in this United Kingdom."

"So mote it be!"

The combined magics of seven score and ten powerful wizards making a heart-felt vow was indescribable, it was less a light show than it was a joining, a certainty of utter solidarity born of that moment. People who have never dedicated their lives and futures to an ideal far greater than the love of self, will never understand the profound passion this evokes. They are to be pitied.

"By the authority of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Dr. John Reid and the Minister of Magic the Honorable Rufus Scrimgeour I do certify that all members of Avalon Regiment, Second Brigade have completed all requirements for basic auror" saying this bright copper brassards appeared on the left front of each newly minted auror's cloaks, "further all members of Avalon Regiment Fifth and Ninth Companies have completed all requirements for special weapons and unconventional tactics."

The designated copper badges turned deep green, then matte black, as did the auror's robes.

"Never in the history of the Auror Corps has a majority of any regiment completed both certifications in the fourteen weeks allotted for basic training, Avalon regiment, I salute you."

The old auror snapped to attention and placed his wand over his heart. The three assembled companies, every man and woman returned the salute smartly, and then an auror shouted "God save the Queen!"

All present shouted "Yes!" and a clear voice began to sing "God save our gra – cious Queen . . ." all present joined in on the second verse and completed the Anthem with great feeling. When it ended Commandant Hayden again called out "Avalon Regiment, Second Brigade, Uh-Ten – shun!" then added "Company Commanders, take charge and carry out your assigned orders, Regiment, you are dis – missed!"

All present cheered lustily and then sought out their superiors to receive their orders. Members with spouses and or children were allowed to stay at home owing to the fact that they could apparate to their bases of operations at the beginning of their duty cycles. Single aurors were allowed to billet themselves in the areas they were assigned to protect or if they preferred to bunk in the barracks that abutted the administrative and training facilities found in each of the three assigned locations.

Harry found himself, once again, heading for Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the end of another summer.

And soon he and his ladies had to visit Ottery St. Catchpole, he had a wedding to attend and old friendships to renew.


	34. Chapter 33: So Much to Tell Him

Chapter 33 – So Much to Tell Him

It was a Saturday dawn, in the Weasley house Molly was already up making the kitchen ready to prepare breakfast for her brood as well as the guests, Monsieur et Madame Delacours and their delightful daughter Gabrielle. She was so thankful that Arthur's promotion and subsequent rise had allowed them to 'smarten up' the Burrow so that all the guests who wanted could have their own rooms, Fleur and Gabrielle had chosen to room together while Bill slept in his old room as Percy, Molly sighed heavily to think of her estranged son, Percy wouldn't even RSVP the wedding invitation. The owl had returned the invite unopened.

Ginny appeared in the doorway looking sleep tussled (and a bit sleep deprived) and said "Hi Mum, need a hand?"

"Thank you dear, roll out the croissants?"

The petite redhead, well they were all redheads but she was definitely the petite one, nodded yawning and floured her hands before taking on the task of rolling out the pastry dough and forming the crescent shaped tubes that would rise to flaky perfection in two dozen minutes in the vast Weasley ovens. The smells of breakfast, melting butter, flour and moist dough along with the wood burning in the ovens made the kitchen everyone's favorite room in the Burrow. She knew the smell of baking would permeate every room in the house and bring all the Weasley men to the table in short order.

She sprinkled the work surface with flour. Rolled the dough until it was a generous 10"-X-38" rectangle, and, most importantly, about ¼" thick. This is a crucial dimension, since it determines the size and texture of the croissants. She then trimmed off any irregularities to make the strip uniform in width. Then she cut the strip lengthwise to make two 5" pieces. Marking the strip into triangles, 5" wide on the bottom and using a yardstick as a guide, she cut through the dough with a pastry knife. She then separated the triangles, placing them on a baking sheet, to chill for 15 to 20 minutes. After which she would roll the dough into the traditional croissant shape, by rolling the triangle from the bottom to the point.

After a quarter hour had passed she placed the croissants on baking sheets to allow them to rise for just over an hour, in which they would double in volume.

Ginny pictured herself someday in her own kitchen cooking and baking for her own family, usually the patriarch of the family was a raven haired man with spectacles. She sighed heavily wondering when and if she would hear from him again; she had so much she wanted to tell him. Surely, surely he would be here for the wedding.

Upstairs Ron was tip-toeing down the hallway so that he could sneak into the room that Hermione was sharing with Ginny. He had heard his little sister clomping down the stairs and knew this was a good opportunity to get some alone time with his bushy haired girlfriend. He spared a thought for his best friend, wondering if he'd gone off on his own to search for the horcruxes. He hoped Harry would be at the wedding this weekend. He had a lot he wanted to tell him.

Hermione lay awake on the cot listening for the squeaking floorboards that signaled Ron's latest attempt to get her alone. She wasn't worried; the colloportus spell wouldn't let anyone but her and Ginny open the door and she wasn't opening the door. The first morning he came to her she thought the _idea_ of it was sweet but the _reality_ of it was a combination of overnight chin bristle, morning breath and clumsy fumbling groping. All this had pretty much put her off morning visits. After breakfast they could walk around the pond, in clear view of the house so that Ron couldn't get 'carried away.' She thought of Harry for the millionth time that summer, hoping he was safe, wherever he was. She prayed again to the Goddess Saint Brigid for his safety and happiness. She hoped that she would get to see him at least once more before he disappeared from their lives, for she had no doubt that he would. He would reason that searching out and destroying the horcruxes was too dangerous a risk to share and he would somehow force them away, somehow keep his friends from joining him in his dangerous quest. She knew Harry. She needed to see him; she had to tell him how she felt about him before he could leave. She also knew he would be at the wedding this weekend.

"Hermione," Ron whispered urgently, "lemme in, it's Ron!"

She stretched, placed both hands behind her head and smiled.

Molly checked the ovens and saw they were at the perfect temperature 425°F (220°C). She called over to Ginevra and opened the doors so that she could place the four large baking sheets onto the racks, which she did two at a time. Molly nodded her approval; Ginny was turning out to be quite the baker herself. And the Delacours raved over their croissants in the morning – high praise indeed coming from the Parisians. Molly knew the secret; the secret was to not use magic in the cooking. Conjured food or even food 'helped along' with magic never tasted as good.

She hoped Ginny would find her match, she prayed that it would be Harry, and that together with Hermione and Ron they could become one big happy Weasley family. She'd had the 'talk' with Ginevra and her little girl had indicated that she was ready to do whatever it took to make Harry see that they were meant for each other. Molly reached into her pocket and grasped the vial tightly, the same one she had used in her sixth year at Hogwarts, the one that convinced Arthur Weasley that they were destined for each other. She felt a small pang of guilt for the nature of the 'capture,' but reasoned that it had worked out for the best for her and Arthur; surely it would work out as well for Ginny and Harry.

She just had to make sure that Harry got the right glass for the wedding toast.

Arthur Weasley rolled out of bed deftly slipping his feet into the fuzzy bunny slippers which yawned and blinked as he stood up ready to face the day. He shuffled into the only private bathroom in the Burrow to perform his morning ablutions. As he used his wand tip to charm the overnight stubble off his face he stared hard at his reflection. The image that looked back was balding, thin but with a noticeable paunch about his waist. He wasn't old by wizarding standards, but he was tired. What was that wonderful muggle saying? Oh yes, it's not the years, it's the mileage. Right now he was feeling like a million miles over bad roads. He thought of his children, how hard he'd had to work to keep food on the table and he thought of his pride and joy, little Ginevra. He remembered his own youthful obsessions, including one Molly Prewett and how one day he had thrown all his careful planning and caution to the wind and bedded her – before either were really ready for it (hence their eldest son, Bill). Come to think of it, they had been going at it like rabbits ever since, this made him grin as he thought of his "Molly Wobbles." He sighed as he remembered he had a daughter of his own now, and while he loved Harry like a son he needed to have a 'talk' with the young man. He'd be able to catch the lad at the wedding tomorrow.

Gabrielle stretched her lithe newly pubescent body. At twelve 'little' Gabrielle was anything but. She had the body of an Olympic gymnast albeit tall for her age. Her Veela blood forced her to endure precocious puberty, with all that entailed; the good and the bad. She could barely stand to be around kids her own age now and sought out the company of her elders. There was serious talk of advancing her to the next year so that she would not be so physically different from her classmates, she was all for it, academically she was on a par with 'Ermione herself at the same age and would welcome an intellectual challenge. She was not surprised to find her sister gone from the bed; she was, of course, with her betrothed. Fleur had left the room just after the last Weasley could be heard galumphing off to bed. She shook her head at the thought of so many redheads, so many young men, all with long noses, big hands and feet . . . So her sister was off enjoying Bill's 'long assets' while Gabrielle slept. Mon dieu, did Mme. Weasley not know she couldn't keep a Veela apart from her mate? Could anyone be so, _qui est si ignorant tellement simple_, yes so simple and so ignorant? The Weasley Matriarch had been young once, perhaps she just chose 'not to see.' Her thoughts returned yet again to the object of her undying affection and thought, "surely he has not seen a Veela in her full glory, I will see him tomorrow, and if I have my way, we will not talk . . . much!"

Two doors down a clinically exhausted Bill Weasley was enjoying a short nap. Fleur had literally worn him out that night; they had surely tested the silencing charms and various contraceptive potions to their limits as well as the replenishing potion and the wide array of magical aphrodisiacs, Fleur was just beginning to stir and he groaned as he reached for the salve that worked on scrapes and abrasions, rug burns and rubbed-raw willies. He didn't have a thought to spare for Harry, if he had it was completely lost in the haze of a burst of powerful Veela pheromones.

At Grimmauld Place Remus Lupin stretched and turned on his side his face colliding with a mass of bubble-gum pink spiky hair. His 'time of the month' was fast approaching, tonight would be a full moon and at the waxing of the moon, so close, he tended to let the animal out, much to Nymphadora's delight. He smiled as he remembered the night before and the one before that and the one before that when his thoughts turned to Harry. He hadn't heard from the pup in weeks and that thought gave him a pang of guilt. The Order of the Phoenix seemed to be reestablishing itself, with himself the unofficial leader. The Order, however, needed something or someone to galvanize it into a cohesive working unit once again.

Remus needed to talk to Harry in the worst way. He knew he would see him on Sunday. He and Harry needed to have a nice long talk.

Harry and his company, Avalon Ninth, Second Brigade arrived in Hogsmeade in an impressive feat of apparation. The entire company, in formation, with British Army PLCE Bergens on their backs marched smartly up the road leading to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Citizens of Hogsmeade were stirred by the sight of all those young men and women dedicated to preserving the peace and protecting the citizens of the magical community. Spies quickly sent word by owl and apparation that there was a military presence at Hogwarts. The master would want to know.

When the Fighting Ninth arrived at Hogwarts the gates were being held open by Argus Filch and the pathway to the main hall entrance was lined with teachers and staff to welcome their protectors. Many of those watching dabbed the corners of their eyes as the young men and women in uniform passed.

Staff Sergeant McClaggan called "Comp – nay . . . Halt!" and the formation halted and stood still as statues as the commander and his staff addressed the Headmistress.

"With your permission ma'am, Avalon Ninth Company, Second Brigade wishes to billet here, if it is not too great a hardship. We shall of course recompense you for any additional cost this may entail" then he added with a wink, "and we won't even leave any messes around the castle."

Headmistress McGonagall smiled and said, "you are all welcome, Commander, please consider our home to be your home for as long as is necessary." Then she added a wink of her own and said in a low voice, "you scamp, I noticed you didn't say you wouldn't _make_ any messes while you're here!"

"No ma'am, I try not to make any promises that I don't know I can keep."

"Sergeant! Have the troops fall out and take seats in the great hall."

"Aye sir! Comp – nay, you heard the Skipper, fall out and take seats!"

Forty eight aurors moved smartly into the great hall where they sat in four even rows on opposite sides of two tables. The headmistress addressed the group from the floor of the great hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! Or rather I should say, welcome back to Hogwarts for I see many faces that I recognize from our most recent graduating classes, and some from classes past. Your Staff Sergeant has your room assignments, I hope you don't mind staying in the quarters that you may have only vacated a few weeks ago, but I assure you the linens have been changed" this elicited chuckles from the group "and the food is as good as you remember it!"

The last announcement was met with polite applause which was replaced with much more enthusiastic applause as heaping trays of food appeared on the tables.

"On behalf of the elves of Hogwarts I thank you, now please, don't be shy, tuck in!"

McGonagall motioned for Harry to join her at her table and he invited Marietta, Jose and Ernie to join him. Ernie declined politely citing 'decorum' and sat down at the end of one of the tables, where he quickly found himself being peppered by questions of who was staying where.

"Commander, you and your lieutenants will have private rooms in the suites set aside for married staff. You each have been assigned a room and your bondmate will be able to have a room for herself or . . ." she raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you for your consideration Headmistress, I will abide by your wishes, if you do not want me sleeping with my bondmate, or anyone else I will of course abide by your wishes" he could almost feel Marietta quail at the thought of having to sleep alone, "but remember Professor, after six years of wandering these halls, I think I know where all the good broom cupboards are . . ."

McGonagall chuckled and shook her head, "no Commander, that won't be necessary. I believe we have a suite of three rooms that share a common room and a bath, will that suffice?"

"That will be perfect Professor."

After dinner Harry went to the main entrance where a thestral-drawn carriage deposited his bondmate. He gallantly helped her disembark from the carriage and said thank you to the thestral, which nodded in acknowledgement. They smiled at each other and though they'd never really separated he still told her that he'd missed her company.

"This wasn't necessary, milord, I could have walked with you and Marie."

"I know, milady, but I didn't want anyone asking why a civilian was walking alongside a military formation."

"Ah yes," she smiled, "wouldn't want people to think I was a 'camp follower.'"

"Exactly, now if my lady will join me?"

Her eyes widened in mock horror, "here? Now?"

He laughed out loud at her audacity and she joined in as well, it was good to laugh she thought, and it was good to see him laugh as well.

"I am a bit too serious, aren't I?" he observed.

Belle nodded, "I hope we get to laugh often after all this is over, milord."

"Hear, hear" he agreed.

Together they walked to their new quarters. Harry had to chuckle when he saw a shiny new brass placard that read "Officer's Country," apparently placed there by an industrious house elf. The small common room was about half the size of the house common rooms and the bathroom a bit smaller as well, but they all knew the way to the Prefect's Bathroom. They all sat on the cozy couch, Harry flanked by Marietta and Belle with Myrtle floating in the space between them, her ectoplasm warmed by her constant 'visitations' with the three loves of her afterlife.

"Tomorrow we have a wedding to attend," he explained about Bill and Fleur's wedding and how it was going to be the jumping off point for the 'great horcrux hunt,' which now, of course, was a moot point as there were no more horcruxes. "I will be attending in my dress robes, but not my uniform dress robes, I don't want a lot of people to know my status yet, and there will be a lot of people there. People from the Ministry of Magic, guests, dignitaries . . ." That was the point at which Harry had absolute clarity "oh Merlin! How could I be so _stupid?_"

Belle of course understood immediately, Marietta was a close second and they had to explain it to Myrtle.

"He knows I'll be there, how could I not be? This is the perfect opportunity to get me and in the process get a lot of people I care about at the same time!"

"But, he wouldn't – if he harms you the "Issue of Mine Enemy" spell will be ruined!" Marietta interjected.

"It's already ruined, remember?"

And she did, she saw the image of Bellatrix Lestrange plastered all over the wizarding media being levitated out of the leaky cauldron, dead as a doornail. At least, as far as Riddle was concerned; she groaned and thought 'we've outsmarted ourselves on this one!'

Harry's eyes grew suddenly cold.

"Enough," he said, "It ends tomorrow; one way or another. This has gone far enough. Marie, please get Sergeant McClaggan, tell him what's happening. Myrtle, can you get the house ghosts to send word to my aurors? They need to assemble in combat gear in the great hall in one hour."

Marie started to leave when Harry asked her to wait just a moment. He walked over to Belle and dropped down on one knee. Both women's eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Belle Black, I don't know if I'll be able to do this after tomorrow, I don't know if I'll be around after tomorrow, but I know I love you, and I love the precious life you carry within you. Will you please marry me?"

Tears rolled freely down both her cheeks as she fell to her knees and tenderly took both his hands in hers and said, simply, "no."


	35. Chapter 34: Proposals and Preparations

Chapter 34 – Proposals and Preparations

_Marie started to leave when Harry asked her to wait just a moment. He walked over to Belle and dropped down on one knee. Both women's eyes grew wide as saucers._

"_Belle Black, I don't know if I'll be able to do this after tomorrow, I don't know if I'll be around after tomorrow, but I know I love you, and I love the precious life you carry within you. Will you please marry me?"_

_Tears rolled freely down both her cheeks as she fell to her knees and tenderly took both his hands in hers and said, simply, "no."_

Harry felt the lump in his throat settle to become lead in his stomach. Then he 'heard' Belle over their bond.

"My love and my lord, I want to say yes in the worst way, but you must think in terms of the head of a great family, you can only have one wife, but as many consorts as you choose. As your consort I can give birth to your legitimate child and you can even adopt her as your own, either way she won't be a bastard."

"It's not just for our baby, Mon Cherie, I love _you_ and I want you to be my wife!" he said aloud.

"I am not your only love" Belle pointed out, "and I will not force you to choose between us, _any_ of us."

"You know, don't you?"

She tapped her temple and smirked, "of course!"

"In an ideal world I would be able to marry all of you . . ."

"Even the dear departed," Belle told Myrtle, "he loves you too."

Myrtle fell into Harry and asked plaintively, "oh Harry, where were you fifty years ago?"

Harry chuckled and said, "I think I was a gleam in my grandfather's eye!"

Belle rose from her knees, bringing Harry with her and faced Marie, "he loves all of us and would have us all take his name if he could, but the current law of the land says one wife."

"Wait just a minute," Harry interjected, "what's to keep us from taking each other's names?"

"I want to pledge my life and my fortune and my future to the three of you, can't we simply stand and pledge a binding union?"

Belle smiled beatifically, "My Lord, there _is_ the hand-fasting."

Harry looked hopeful, feeling her thoughts as she voiced them.

"In the tradition of our ancestors we may pledge our troths to one another, all that is required is that we all be of one mind in this and have two witnesses to the ceremony . . ."

"Let's go back to the Great Hall, I'll bet there are at least three hundred potential witnesses there!"

"We can, milord, but as there are four of us here there are more than enough witnesses, we may proceed, if we are all in agreement."

"I would change my name to Potter at the drop of a pointed hat, love!" Marietta enthused. Myrtle sighed heavily while smiling and nodding.

"My Lady Belle, if you would help me with the proper words, please?"

"Just say what is in your heart, milord; that will be ceremony enough for us."

He got back on his knee, reached for all three ladies with his left hand, palm up. Each of his ladies placed their left hand in his, palm down, first Belle, then Marietta, then the warmed ectoplasm that was Myrtle. In the tradition of the ancient Celts he intoned the hand-fasting vows.

"Belle Black, Marie Edgecombe, Myrtle Frisbee, will you consent to take my name, share my future my fortune and my follies for as long as we all walk upon this Earth?"

He looked for a moment at Myrtle, who didn't actually 'walk upon the Earth' anymore but was reassured by her smile that the sentiment still held for an Earth bound spirit.

As he said this three white silken cords, two physical, one ethereal, appeared and wrapped themselves around the three hands binding them together

Three happy voices intoned a solemn "I will" and the cords tied themselves into three complex Celtic knots, which then turned emerald green.

Then, speaking for the first time as the husband and patriarch of the hand-fasted group, Harry formally stated "so mote it be" which caused the knots to phase into each of the four wrists leaving a green glowing tattoo of the interlocked design on the palm sides of each of their wrists.

Harry whooped and jumped up to embrace his ladies, his helpmates, his bonded partners, his wives.

"My lord husband," Belle said after they had all kissed to complete the ritual, "there is one more you need to ask."

"I know, My Lady Potter, I know."

Belle beamed at the sound of her new name.

Marietta wrapped her arms around her husband and asked "would you say my name, Commander?"

He lifted her chin to place a tender kiss on her upturned lips and said "as often as you'd like to hear it, Lieutenant Potter."

"And me?" the ghost girl asked, expectantly.

"Of course, Mrs. Myrtle . . ." he paused for effect and she appeared to be holding her breath, neat trick for a ghost, "Potter!"

She "Squeeeeeed" loudly and fazed into and out of her corporeal husband and co-wives so rapidly that they all laughed, sharing her delight.

The moment was broken all too soon by a knock on the door and Sergeant McClaggan announcing "the Fighting Ninth is assembled sir, awaiting your orders."

"Very well sergeant, send a message to Regimental HQ, Voldemort will be attacking Ottery,St. Catchpole tomorrow, I expect he'll have diversionary attacks in Diagon alley and Hogsmeade. He'll have dementors with him, probably werewolves as well."

"Remember the inferi my husband" Belle gently interjected.

Sergeant McClaggan was startled, death eaters, werewolves, dementors and inferi he took in his stride, but Potter married? That would take some getting used to.

"Commandant Hayden is in the great hall as well, sir, awaiting your briefing."

"Very well." Harry looked grim again as he faced his spouses, "when this is over, we'll have a proper honeymoon, I promise."

"We'll hold you to that, Mister Potter" Marietta smirked; then grew serious herself as the weight of their immediate future fell upon her.

"Myrtle," Harry began.

"Oh please call me Mrs. Potter," she giggled, "I just love the sound of that!"

"Of course, _Missus_ Potter," he waited for her contented sigh to die down, "is it possible for you to possess an inferi?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded, and said "yes, but I could only occupy one at a time, we'll need more ghosts if we're going to control enough inferi to make a difference."

"Would you please ask the castle ghosts if they'd be willing to help?"

When he entered the hall, flanked by Marietta and Belle, Myrtle trailing behind, all the aurors in attendance stood smartly at attention. As his phantom bride flew off to confer with the other ghosts Harry couldn't help but notice there were more aurors than could be accounted for by his company alone.

A lot more.

The Great Hall was filled to its seams with maroon and black cloaks; the entire regiment stood tall and proud, as well as a good number of the regular aurors from the DMLE. Standing in front of the assembly Commandant Hayden stood ramrod straight, to his left stood Mister Jones in a flat black cloak of rank with black piping and epaulettes, Harry's eyes widened when he recognized the Unspeakable was a Brigadier. He halted in front of the assembly and began to salute but Brigadier Smith called out, "Brigade! Uh – ten – shun! Present – wands!"

Every man and woman placed their wands over their hearts then held them palms up in Harry's direction.

The Brigadier said in a normal voice that carried through the stillness of the halls "these wands are yours to command, Commander Potter. I know you'll use them for the greater good."

Belle prompted him to respond with "I pray, sir, that when this is over that I will have been worthy of your trust."

"You already are, son. Shall we begin?"

Harry faced the regiment, "Avalon Regiment, and honored guests, as you were!"

Everyone who could took their seats, house elves scurried around frantically trying to find or make seating for the late comers.

"Voldemort will be attacking Ottery, St. Catchpole sometime tomorrow. We expect diversionary attacks in other locations as well but we don't have those particulars at this time . . ."

Harry paused as Brigadier Smith cleared his throat, "if I may Commander?"

Startled, Harry said "of course Brigadier."

"Voldemort has planned a three prong attack on targets designed to shock the wizarding world into submission. Just before daybreak his werewolves will attack St. Mungo's Hospital with orders to create as much carnage as possible before retreating into the sewers. Later that morning, after all the ministry personnel have been ordered to the their offices to deal with the St. Mungo's crisis a force of death eaters will assault the Ministry of Magic from within, setting fires on all of the floors simultaneously then killing ministry workers as they attempt to escape the flames. Then, while our forces are split the main force, consisting of the remaining death eaters, dementors and inferi will attack Hogwarts with the mandate to kill everything that moves and reduce the castle to rubble. While all this is keeping the auror forces occupied Tom Riddle and a small group of seasoned fighters will attack the Burrow, his real objective."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the Brigadier and said, "all right Brigadier, who do you have inside?"

"Surely Commander Potter, you can figure that one out."

"Oh Sweet Merlin no!"

"I'm afraid so Commander, it's Severus Snape!"

"Begging the Brigadier's pardon, but what in the nine hells makes you think you can trust him?"

"That would be because he is, and has been, an Unspeakable working for me in the Department of Mysteries since his graduation from Hogwarts twenty-two years ago."

"Sir, I saw him kill Dumbledore!"

"I know, Harry, he did it under Dumbledore's orders, and if Snape hadn't done it, Greyback would have been all too happy to. Remember Dumbledore's injury?"

Harry nodded.

"He was dying from that, one piece at a time. He had, perhaps another two or three weeks of life left, even before he drank that accursed potion. Snape knew this as well, they argued over it but in the end Severus bowed to the inevitable."

"I don't trust him, sir."

"You don't have to Commander, you just have to trust me" saying that Brigadier Smith handed Harry a scroll "this is the incantation that will remove the dark mark from Miss Black's soul, only you or Riddle can perform the ritual."

Harry looked at the scroll and smiled then looked at Belle who was beaming "do I have time now, or are there preparations that have to be in place first?"

"All you need is a bearer of the dark mark who genuinely wants to be rid of it."

Harry walked over to Belle and placed his hand over her left forearm, he didn't need to see the tattoo to know it was there under her long sleeve.

He intoned, "Where there was darkness, let there be light! Where there was fear, let there be hope! And where there was emptiness, let there be love, _absum_ _obscurum animum!_"

Belle stiffened as she was bathed in light, which provided a stark contrast to the dark mist that seeped out of her mouth and nose and ears and even the pores of her skin. It was as if a dark night were being dispersed by a brilliant dawn. Harry caught her as she began to crumple to the floor, easing her down.

"Belle? Belle, are you all right? Can you say something? Please my Lady Wife, say something!"

After a few moments her eyes fluttered.

"It's gone." She said simply, looking up at him with absolute adoration. "Great Goddess of All it's gone!" she let Harry pull her to her feet, she needed to stand, she wanted to dance, to shout "it's gone, it's gone, it's gone!"

With her right hand she grasped the seam of her left sleeve and ripped the fabric from her arm, those in the brigade who knew she had been a death eater gasped at the pristine arm, free of its supposedly permanent dark mark. Jose Cruz nodded in grim satisfaction.

No one present doubted that they had witnessed a miracle.

Two aurors detached themselves from the back of the room and strode purposely forward, one pointed his wand at another near the back of the room and shouted "stupefy!"

Four hundred wands were aimed at the attacker as he raised both hands and gingerly placed the wand on the table. Then he knelt down and bared his left arm, as did his companion. Both bore dark marks.

The one who had stupefied his fellow auror said, "check his arm."

Those nearest the unconscious man did, and found the tattoo.

The commandant ordered the room sealed so that all those present could be checked for the mark. The brigadier had developed a detection spell that would sense even a hidden dark mark, because, as he had explained earlier, the dark mark was not a tattoo on the skin, but a mark on the soul. Everyone was checked out; no further death eaters were present.

Harry walked over to the two kneeling men and asked "you didn't join up of your own free will, did you?"

"No Commander, neither of us wanted to, but our families are being held hostage . . ."

Harry understood, he asked each man in turn to extend the tattooed arm and repeated the spell over each of them. When it was over the marks were completely gone and both men stood to hand him their badges and wands. Neither auror expected to avoid Azkaban for their Death Eater activities.

"What are your names?" Harry asked.

"John Rolfe, sir, but all my friends used to call me Jack."

"Daniel Brearly, sir, or Dan, whichever" and he shrugged.

"Dan, Jack, you're going to need these" he said, handing each man his wand and shield back, "we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow and we need all the good men we can get!"

Both men dropped to one knee and pledged their lives and their fortunes to the Noble House of Potter.

"It seems, my lord, that you have acquired two liegemen, I expect they will be the first of many." Belle explained to her perplexed spouse.

"I just wish I could free the death eaters who were forced into that dark wanker's service, a lot of good people are going to die tomorrow and they shouldn't have to."

"My Lord Commander," Jack offered, if you would allow me, I could rejoin the Dark One's forces and demonstrate to some of the others that the dark mark does not have to be permanent.

"Can you do that without being discovered?" Harry asked, eager for the chance to be spared unnecessary bloodshed.

"I'm sure of it my lord, I belong to a cell that is made up mostly of conscripts."

"It's the 'mostly' part that worries me Jack, I'll consider it if you take a portkey with you and promise me you can do this and not get caught."

"I promise, milord."

Brigadier Smith asked Harry, in a low voice that couldn't be overheard, "you know you just sent a death eater back to Riddle's camp, right?"

Harry answered as quietly, "ex-death eater, and I trust him."

Smith smiled and said, "And I trust Severus Snape."

That definitely gave Harry reason to pause.

"Avalon Regiment" Harry called out, "we have plans to make, traps to set and a dark lord to destroy, this is a skull session, I don't care how outlandish the ideas are; I need em,' lots of them" as he said this parchment and quills appeared on the tables in front of the aurors. Let's see what we can come up with!"

You would have thought O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s exams were in session, the scratching of the quills was furious on paper.

Myrtle phased up through the floor to 'stand' in front of Harry and smiled.

"Looks like good news from Missus Potter," he couldn't help but chuckle at the way in which she beamed to hear her new name. "How many of our specter friends are on board?"

"How many ghosts do you think you'll need Harry?" he turned to see Sir Nicholas at the head of a column of ghosts, every ghost Harry had ever seen at Hogwarts was in attendance, the Bloody Baron, the Grey Lady, the Fat Friar, assorted specters from times past, even Peaves the Poltergeist was standing by, awaiting orders.

"As many as you can get Sir Nicholas," Harry responded

"Riddle created quite a lot of us," the Bloody Baron intoned, "he has been a stain upon my house and seduced many of mine to evil. You will have as many ghosts as you may need Commander!"

Harry gave the Baron an auror's salute then turned to his fellow officers, "that should take care of the inferi, how many of you can produce a corporeal patronus?"

The officers looked around, embarrassed by the question, "that's a rare talent Commander; maybe one mage in a thousand can produce one. And it's even harder when you're being attacked by those soul suckers."

Harry wanted to say "I've been fighting off dementors since I was thirteen!" but knew it would be petty to do so. Belle knew though, and so did Myrtle. What he did say was, "okay, I'll get the professors who can produce their patronuses, patroni?" everyone shrugged, "to keep the dementors out of the fight."

Brigadier Smith interjected, "keep them in mind, but I have a strategy in place for the dementors" he produced a small hand torch and flicked it on. The light produced looked slightly bluish and made the white parchment on the table fairly glow.

"Its ultraviolet light; and a strong enough beam is as effective as a patronus for keeping the soul leeches away. We're setting up spotlights all around the castle even as we speak, and all personnel will be issued hand-torches like this one."

"I thought electronics didn't work around Hogwart's" Harry said, looking perplexed.

"Oh electronics work fine around magic, its just that batteries won't keep a charge in a magical field" he unscrewed the bottom from the light tube and shook out the batteries, which were encased in crystal. "Each battery is good for about an hour, frankly, I don't expect the battle to go that long; if it does we'll seriously need those patroni."

"No matter how you look at it, the castle will be the safest place tomorrow, right?" The older officers nodded in agreement. "Very well, evacuate the Burrow, bring everyone to the castle, owl the guests and explain the change of venue, there will still be a wedding, it'll just happen here. Molly will have a fit, but explain to her that Voldemort is planning to attack the wedding because of all the ministry dignitaries who will be in attendance and the last minute change of venue is in everyone's best interest."

He grinned and added "be sure to explain that she'll have an army of house elves to help her cook and clean and decorate."

"Commander, it's scary how well you understand the female mind" the Brigadier chuckled.

Harry just looked over at Belle and smiled.

"And where will you be Commander Potter?" Marietta asked.

"_We'll_ be at the Burrow Lieutenant Potter, making the place ready for the soon to be dearly departed Tom Riddle"

She pulled her memo book out of her cloak and tapped it with her wand saying "portus Burrow!"

Then she held it out to Harry who grasped it the same time Belle did, as Marietta counted down "three, two . . ."

She was interrupted by a weak voice saying, "wait, please."

They all released the booklet simultaneously and it popped out of existence.

"Damn," Marietta groused, "I hope I can find that when we do get to the Burrow, our whole honeymoon itinerary is in there!"

"My lady angel," an ethereal voice drifted from the assembled ghosts "please save my son, he will not be much longer if you do not!"

The barely visible visage of Dawn Pennywhite faded in and out of focus.

"Myrtle" Harry whispered to his phantom bride "can you help us here?"

"She's not the ghost of a witch, she doesn't have much strength, and just talking to us is causing her great distress, my husband. Do you know her name?"

"Dawn Pennywhite" Harry and Belle said simultaneously.

Myrtle intoned "spirit of Dawn Pennywhite, tell us what you require of us."

A very faint, very weak voice pleaded "my baby, my baby boy, he will not be for very much longer if you don't help him . . ."

"How can we help, Dawn?" Belle asked.

"Oh my Angel, he is in a tiny room and he is so very sick and no one is seeing to him and he will not live if you do not help him, he is with us, with us, with. . ."

The mundane spirit seemed agitated and restless; she reached out and grasped Myrtle who grasped her in return, pulling her into a tight embrace. Dawn wailed and hung on as though she were fighting against the pull of a powerful tide.

Harry stood before the two phantoms, one magical and one muggle and said "We will find your son, and if it is in our power we will save him . . ."

"Do you know where he is Dawn?" Belle asked the agitated spirit.

"He is with us, with us, with us . . ."

Myrtle smiled and spoke, "oh restless spirit, I understand, we will go to your son and we will care for him. He will never know hunger; he will not live in fear. He will be loved. So say we all?"

Harry, Belle and Marietta solemnly intoned "so say we all."

The fragile ghost's eyes widened as she understood and smiled "you are all angels, my Angles. I am finished now, I am no longer needed here, farewell family of my son, farewell . . ."

Myrtle released Dawn from her tight embrace but held onto her hands and said softly, "it won't be long before you see us again, and we will tell you wonderful things about your son." Ghostly fingers phased through each other and Dawn Pennywhite was gone from this plane of existence.

"Sergeant Major!" Harry called out.

"Sir!"

"Please proceed with the evacuation of the Burrow; we shall be along in short order!"

"Aye sir!"

"Mrs. Potter?" Harry called over to Myrtle and was chuffed to hear three voices answer "yes, dear?"

"Myrtle, please coordinate with our friends the Baron and Sir Nicholas, I'm sure they'll have excellent ideas for turning the inferi to our own advantage."

She curtsied and said, "Hurry back, dear."

"Yes dear" he rejoined with a smirk. Truth be told, he enjoyed the endearments.

Belle grasped both their hands and said "side-along with me, we're going to St. Paul's Cathedral in London."

A loud, triple crack of apparition and they were gone, reappearing instantaneously just off London's Ludgate Hill. Belle quickly transfigured her gown into a nicely tailored muggle suit and the two auror's uniforms into those of London Bobbies. Together they entered St. Paul's and asked to see the rector.

The Right Reverend Bruce Howe, a distinguished looking clergyman in a salt and pepper beard emerged from the rectory and asked "how may I help?"

"Yes, Reverend," Belle asked, "could you tell us what happened to the baby boy that was abandoned on your altar last month?"

Rev. Howe's expression turned somber, "yes, a sickly child – newly born he was. He was taken in by the Withus Children's home and I fear he has been very ill this past month."

"We believe we can help, Reverend, we discovered the identity of the baby's mother, deceased, I'm afraid, but there are family members who will care for the baby."

"Let us pray that this good news is but the first in a bright new beginning for little Paul."

"Paul, Reverend?" Harry asked.

"Yes, one of the nurses at the Withus Home named the child Paul for the church in which he was found."

"It's a good name," Marietta agreed.

"Indeed" Harry agreed.

They thanked the Rector and walked toward the exit as they neared the Narthex the trio looked around and Harry asked, "Do you know where the Withus home is?"

"No, but the cab driver will know."

Ten minutes later the cabbie deposited the two disheveled Bobbies and the lady at the steps of the Withus home.

"I think I'll stick to brooms" Harry said as he unfolded himself from the tiny back seat.

The official looking trio entered the home. The Withus Home was, in fact, a home. It was a nice Victorian with about ten upstairs bedrooms and a large sitting area in the entrance with offices for the administrator and an infirmary on the ground floor.

They entered the infirmary, starling the nurse who was looking worried as she checked the one-month-old baby's vitals for the twentieth time that day. Harry pulled his wand and waved it over the child.

"I'm feeling magic . . . Belle?" he handed his wand to his bride and watched her eyes grow wide as she nodded in agreement.

"Now see here" the nurse blustered, "you can't come bargin' in here and poke at our little Paul with sticks!"

"I'm sorry, miss," Belle said soothingly, "I'm Doctor Potter and these good constables are here at the request of baby Paul's family. They're here to bring him to his home and I'm here to ensure that he's healthy."

"Well he innt! Look at im' _Doctor_, he's so frail and weak, I'm afraid to even pick im' up!"

"I see," she looked around for a piece of paper and found a clipboard on a table, which she tapped with her wand.

"Here is the paperwork releasing Paul to our custody and an explanation of the inherited congenital condition which requires immediate treatment by a specialist."

The nurse looked at the bogus paperwork and, compelled by the charm on the paper, said "of course, Doctor, will you be needing anything else?"

"No, miss, you may go about your duties, the constables and I will take it from here."

As the nurse left the room Belle scooped the tiny waif into her arms and said "meet us in Hogsmeade, then arrange a carriage to the school, Madame Pomfrey needs to see this baby immediately!"

She disapparated with just the tiniest hint of a 'pop.'

Harry and Marietta were close behind; when they arrived in the magical village their muggle police uniforms drew curious stares but neither one of them cared about that. Harry hailed a thestral drawn carriage and spoke to the intelligent equine.

"We have a very sick baby here, my friend, we must go swiftly but gently, can you do this for us?"

The demonic looking winged horse nodded and Harry and the ladies quickly boarded the carriage.

True to his word the thestral was smooth as glass and fast as lightning.

"Madame Pomfrey!" Harry's desperate voice echoed down the empty halls leading to the hospital wing.

Poppy Pomfrey met the familiar looking policeman and was startled to see a tiny baby in his arms.

"Please, Madame Pomfrey, he's very sick!"

The nurse gently took the baby and placed it on a soft, warm blanket, then began the tests.

"This baby is a muggle, but he's been touched by magic. Very dark magic, I'm afraid."

Belle entered the room "his mother was tortured to death by Voldemort's animals, while she was carrying little Paul. He was born of her after she died" her eyes were brimming with tears. "He's been touched by evil, does that mean he will be evil?"

"No, of course not; what rubbish!"

The three oddly dressed people seemed to sag against each other for support at hearing this.

"Oh thank The Goddess" Belle said in a prayer of thanksgiving.

"Who _are_ you people?" The nurse asked.

"Nurse Pomfrey, I'm hurt. All the times you've had me in here? You've seen more of me than my wives, I'll bet!"

The matron looked shocked; she didn't know what she was more shocked about, the fact that the stranger was an admitted polygamist or the fact that the stranger insisted that she had intimate knowledge of him.

"My Lady?" Harry asked, indicating his Bobbie's uniform.

Belle transfigured his uniform into that of his cloak of rank and restored his features to those of the Harry Potter that Madame Pomfrey, indeed, knew _very_ well.

"Mister Potter? What have you been up to? You can't be an auror officer; you haven't graduated from Hogwart's yet! And what is this nonsense about _wives_, plural?"

"And Miss Edgecombe!"

"Lieutenant or Mrs. Potter, if you please ma'am, actually I prefer the 'Missus' over the rank!"

"And you are?" the healer asked, looking at Belle.

Belle, realizing too much honesty would be a bad thing here said, "Bell Black Potter, ma'am, my father was Orion Black but my mother's name is not listed on my birth certificate." Which was true, the new birth certificate listed her mother's name as unknown. Mme. Pomfrey understood that to mean her mother was unwed and probably a muggle.

"Madame, please, can you help Paul?"

"Hmmmm, yes, I can stabilize him and let his own immune system fight off the magical infection, but he will need some help, and I can't give a muggle baby half the potions we use here."

The matronly healer was in her element, she had a challenge and her patient's life hung in the balance. "What is the patient's full name, please?"

All present understood, there was power in a name, knowing a name made for the anchor that healing spells and runes required to work their, well, magic.

Belle answered "His name is Paul Pennywhite, but he will soon be Paul Pennywhite Potter." Her eyes implored Harry, who smiled and nodded 'of course.'

"That's good, a strong magical anchor in a strong magical family name. Tell me, Mister Potter, do you intend to make this adoption official within the next few hours?"

"Will it help him?"

"Oh most certainly, we just need an authority to make it binding."

"Madame Pomfrey, Harry here is a military auror with the permanent rank of full commander. He _is_ the authority here."

Harry gently lifted the tiny baby from the blanket and looked deep into his large brown eyes, "by the authority vested in my by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second and the Ministers of Defense and Magic, I, Harry James Potter, take this child, Paul Pennywhite to be my son . . "

Belle and Marietta embraced man and child, one at either shoulder and said "I . . ."

"Marietta Edgecombe Potter . . ."

"Belle Black Potter . . ."

"Myrtle Frisbee Potter . . ." they all looked up to see Myrtle flit into the room to join them, and then continued together.

". . . take this child to be my son for as long as we all shall walk upon this our Mother Earth."

"So mote it be."

The littlest Potter gurgled and smiled as the combined magics of love and acceptance flowed through all of them.

Harry raised the happy infant in his arms and said "welcome to the magical world little 'Three Pea!'"

"Three Pea?" Marietta asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yep, Paul Pennywhite Potter, three 'Ps,' so I'm gonna call him Three Pea!"

Two things happened at that point, little Paul's diaper slipped and he decided it would be a good time to relieve his bladder, christening Harry's flat black auror robes.

Everyone present laughed, little Paul gurgled.

Myrtle's "Will you be spellin' that P-E-A or P-E-E, Commander?" was good for another round of good natured laughter.

Harry placed his son back on the soft blanket and let Belle clean and dry his robes.

"Madame, I leave my son in your capable hands until this is all over. And one way or another, it ends tomorrow!"


	36. Chapter 35: Guess Who I Ran Into in the

Chapter 35 – "Guess Who I Bumped Into in the Floo?"

Castle Tioram (pronounced Cheerum) was and is a ruin situated on a remote, rocky island overlooking Loch Moidart. Its West Coast location is made all the more remote by the fact that it is only accessible at low tide. The 13th Century stronghold of the McDonalds of Clan Ranald, Castle Tioram was destroyed in the Jacobite Rising of 1715 and has lain in ruin ever since.

During the late summer of 1997 a sign hung from a chain simply stating, "Dangerous Ruin, Do Not Enter."

The sign did not begin to tell of the dangers within. Behind the muggle repelling charms, behind the glamour of a ruin in a perfectly serviceable castle, in the great hall Voldemort nee Tom Riddle was exhorting his followers, especially the werewolves to bathe in the blood of the weak, to show the world what a terrible thing it is to even imagine opposing the greatest wizard of the age. The lycanthropes were so close to changing that the blood lust was welling up inside them – they were ready to start tearing people apart already, regardless of the change.

"Not yet my beautiful killing machines, we must wait just a little longer . . ."

One of the black robed death eaters whispered a timely reminder and the Snake Lord nodded. At the non-verbal command the thirteen werewolves were herded into a large cage that was also the portkey that would send them to the sewer beneath the wizard's hospital, St. Mungo's. No one noticed the largest man placing the small metal ball in the latch-hole of the metal cage door. The portkey was activated and the werewolves were transported in the caged cyclone.

"McNair!"

"Yes, milord?"

"Take Goyle with you and remember the crossbows."

McNair smiled evilly "right away milord!"

When McNair and the elder Goyle arrived at the place where the caged lycanthropes had been transported the 'executioner' McNair handed the other man a small crossbow, barely larger than a small handgun.

"Whot's this then?" Goyle asked, perplexed, "whot're we s'posed to do wit these toys?"

"Dark Lord's orders, 'bout an hour b'fore we let em' loose we shoots each of the beasties with a dart. They's small _silver_ darts, won't kill em' just make em' madder'n Hell!"

Goyle and McNair shared an evil laugh until they heard a deeper laugh from the darkness near the caged werewolves. They each looked in the direction of the cage to see the door swung open and Fenrir Greyback walking purposefully toward them.

"I figured hiz Lordship would pull somthin' like that, I know he's got no use for us after this is all over so I'm makin' a couple o' changes."

The two wizards panicked, each trying to get their wands out of their robes before the werewolf was upon them, it didn't matter that he hadn't changed yet, he was still a murderous animal. Greyback roared and then both men knew only blackness.

When they came to they were just outside the cage with the still human lycans, but for how long; was it sunset yet? Had the full moon risen? Each man patted his robes looking for a weapon, a spare wand, anything. The alpha werewolf pointed to a small pile of daggers, shattered potion bottles and broken wand pieces.

"Y'see _mates_, silver 'urts us even when we're not changed" the huge werewolf was explaining to the death eaters, as though he were describing the weather, "but once we're changed, well, even a bit's a bit is too much. Yeah, we'd be crazy in pain, killin' everythin' in sight, but by the time the sun came up, we'd be dead. Silver in the blood, y'see? Pure poison."

He checked his surroundings "cage is in place, an' it's charmed to open at the right time. Reckon it's time t' get in. C'mon you two. You too." He chucked at the double entendre.

"No, no mate" Goyle was begging "I didn't know, I swear I didn't know!"

"Ya thought it sounded funny though, dinnya?"

McNair made to run for it but Greyback caught him by the hood of his robes and slammed him down on the ground, hard.

"Well, looks like we got us a midnights snack," he said, tossing the death eater's limp form into the cage. "Funny, we figured he'd be the one to turn and you'd be the 'sarnie,' just goes t' show, y' can never tell."

Goyle squinted, he'd never been able to apparate under pressure without spinching himself, but it'd be worth it to leave some part of himself behind if it meant he could get away.

"Won't work mate," Fenrir said wearily, "anti-apparation wards just went up round the cage, looks like is' darkness was gonna just leave you here too."

He stood and stretched, loosening up as much as he could before the change, "your choice mate, be one with us or be afters, whot's it gonna be?"

The elder Goyle's shoulders stooped and he hung his head and nodded, walking ahead of Greyback into the cage. As the door was swung shut the werewolf grinned toothily, "oh yeah, I got me a fine bitch tonight!"

ooo000ooo

As the sun set at Hogwart's Harry's thoughts drifted to Remus and how he'd be in a wolf's bane stupor, being looked after by his soulmate Tonks. He thought of the werewolves lurking beneath the hospital and wondered how many of them had been given a choice. He required his aurors to come up with a way to contain the lycans without killing them. Most of the better ideas were clever traps, all were silver. Then Charles Baxter mused aloud, "how do they expect to have werewolves there an hour before dawn? You can't just give one a portkey and say 'sic em!'"

Kim Morris offered "they have to be in a room or a big crate or a . . ."

She and Cruz both said simultaneously ". . . a cage!"

"A silver cage, or at least silver plated." Morris added.

Harry handed Lieutenant Cruz a box of cartridges and said by way of an explanation "silver bullets. I hope you don't have to use them, but lock and load. Take a shield specialist and a cover and concealment specialist as well, and José?"

"Sir?"

"I'd consider it a personal favor if you and your team didn't get yourselves killed."

The newly minted lieutenant smiled and said, "Yes sir!"

As Cruz's team headed out Harry turned to the center table. "How do you start a lot of fires, all at the same time?" he asked.

One of the muggle born aurors offered "timers, you set timed fuses and the bombs all go off simultaneously."

"Or triggers" another witch explained, "someone would have to be in a place to see where the fires would cause the most panic, and remember the idea is to AK people trying to escape the flames."

"I thought you couldn't burn a witch or a wizard," Harry mused, "I remember some balmy old wizard got himself burned at the stake half a dozen times because he liked the way the flames tickled."

"Yes, but in panic and smoke and noise even mages will get burned." Belle explained.

"Is there a charm for fireproofing?" he asked.

"Indeed there is Commander," Moody interjected.

"Can we charm a whole building and all its contents?"

"It'll shut down the floo network, but yeah, we can do that Commander!"

Harry stood on the table "who are my best charms people here? C'mon, don't be shy, I know _some_ of you are charming!"

The assembled troops laughed.

About three dozen hands went up.

"Very well, you folks go with Sergeant Major Moody; he's got a project for you.

Harry turned to the Brigadier, "Sir, how many dark mark detectors do you have?"

"About a dozen, Commander, do you want them?"

"Yes sir, I'd like some of my concealment specialists to sniff out the death eaters that will be waiting outside."

Brigadier Smith looked thoughtful "we could set up an illusion so that it looks like the building is on fire and people are running out, then the DEs would give their positions away by firing at the illusion."

"That would be quite an illusion; do you have someone in mind Brigadier?"

"Yes I do Commander Potter, I have _me_ in mind!"

"Very well, sir, consider yourself tasked!"

Both officers laughed. Then Harry stopped and asked, Brigadier, who else can do a really good illusion?

ooo000ooo

Once at the hospital the Lieutenant Cruz and his aurors only had to ask to find the quickest way to the sewer through the sub-basement. The disillusioned trio crept silently through the corridor until they heard the sound, like a dozen huge dogs snarling and yapping at scraps. Cruz, Morris and Smythe followed the sound and found a large opening in the ceiling. Morris the concealment expert silently climbed a ladder and froze as her head cleared the opening. She saw a pack of unnaturally large wolves ripping at a bloody leg-joint while a human cowered in the corner. One of the wolves stopped and howled a long piercing note that echoed through the sewers. The rest stopped fighting over what was left of McNair.

Thirteen pairs of lycan eyes stared at the spot where Kim Morris stood on the ladder. They couldn't see her, but her scent, the sound of her breathing, the fact that there was a hole in their perception let the werewolves know she was there.

"Hel – hello?" came the only human voice in the cage.

A growl and a snap of powerful jaws quieted the death eater.

Morris returned to her mates "about a dozen wolves and one man in death eater's robes in a cage, I don't think the DE wants to be there."

"Could you tell if he's been bitten?" Cruz asked.

"Yeah, a few times, scratched on the face and neck too."

"Bugger, he's a werewolf too then, he just may not know it yet." Smythe observed.

"We need to secure the cage," she insisted "it'll either open or completely disappear an hour or so before dawn."

"Do they look hungry?" Baxter asked.

"Yeah," she agreed, "starved."

"Think the kitchen can rustle up some steaks?"

"I guess, what are you gonna feed em?"

"I'm thinking steak tartar with enough sleeping draught to keep them asleep all night and well into the morning."

"I'll keep an eye on them" Cruz said, "you two hurry back with the midnight snack, all right?"

The staff at St. Mungo's was more than happy to accommodate the aurors, two huge platters of fresh ground beef with a powerful sleeping potion and an irresistible compulsion charm guaranteed the wolves would, well, wolf down the meat.

The lycans were suspicious of the two platters floating toward them, then above them where they up ended, spilling the juicy contents all over the floor. Well, wolves are not picky eaters, they all fell to eating and after a while, sated, settled in for a nice nap. All except Fenrir; even in his wolf form he could tell something was not right. He contented himself on McNair's bloody remains and feigned sleep as his packmates slept the sleep of the dead.

ooo000ooo

Harry had set his troops to rest, he knew better than to think they might be sleeping. Emotions were riding high, some laughed too loud, some were too quiet, a fair few were in meditation and prayer.

The Weasley / Delacour party had been given the Huffelpuff rooms as they were nearest the kitchens. The family's matrons were in their element ordering nearly half the house elves to cook and sew and decorate. Several times one or more from the wedding party asked about Harry's whereabouts but they were always gently redirected to something urgently wedding related.

At one point Hermione swore she saw a familiar face in the flat black robes of an auror officer but who did she know that was in the military? It would come to her in time, it always did. She did not mistake Staff Sergeant McClaggan for anyone else, but she ducked before the pompous git spotter her – she still had bad dreams about being cornered by that thoughtless self-centered primate.

Molly Weasley was livid – she needed to check on preparations in the great hall but she was being prevented from entering by a small squad of house elves who bowed and scraped and apologized profusely but didn't budge.

"We is seeing to the decorating just as Mizzez Weezee is saying!" one elf plaintively wailed.

The 'Weezee' stormed off in foul dungeon.

Everyone in the wedding party heard snippets of conversations concerning 'The Commander,' a man spoken of in tones of awe and respect. Everyone assumed the troops were talking about an officer senior in rank and years. From the time the first member of the wedding party had arrived all the aurors were under strict orders to only refer to Harry as 'The Commander.' There were other commanders present, Commander Donovan and Commander Webber, but they were referred to by name.

Two auror troops were talking about charms within Hermione's earshot and something about 'fire charms.'

"I can do fire charms" she volunteered, and produced a blue flame from the tip of her wand to demonstrate, "may I help?"

The two aurors looked at each other and asked "can you do a fire proofing spell?"

She grinned and pointed her wand at a tall tapestry, waved a rune symbol in the air and then dissipated the hovering rune in the direction of the tapestry.

"Give it a go" she invited.

One of the aurors produced a jet of flame from her wand and touched it to the fringe. Nothing, she then shot an arc of flame across the surface of the tapestry. Nothing. Then her companion created a sizable fireball and threw it hard against the tapestry causing the entire area to be bathed in flames. The flames died out and there wasn't even a scorch mark on the floor or ceiling. The tapestry was cool to the touch.

"Could you come with us Miss . . ."

"Granger, Hermione Granger."

"Miss Granger, please come with us."

Hermione was glad to have something to do other than wedding busywork; she swore that if she had to put up with one more squealing female she'd go balmy. She was ushered in to meet with whoever was coordinating the firespells and saw a grizzled gentleman in an auror's cloak, his chevrons of rank in gold on the left shoulder.

"Sergeant Major, we have a civilian volunteer who can do the best fire spelling I've ever seen!"

"Excellent, show him in, we need all the help we can . . ."

He had just turned to address the aurors when he and Hermione recognized each other.

"Professor?"

"Miss Granger?"

The auror who spoke smiled and said, "oh, you already know her, excellent!"

"Professor Moody, what's going on?"

"Lass, I need to get to work here and I don't think I can have you involved, so if you don't mind . . ."

"Professor," she started, then deciding to give him his current honorific continued with "Sergeant Major, something important is happening here, and if I don't miss my guess Harry is involved somehow."

Moody's poker face didn't reveal anything but his magical eye twitched at the name.

"Sergeant Major, do you or do you not need a fire mage?"

"I do lass, but it could get dangerous and if The Commander finds out, well, let's just say you don't want to be on his bad side."

She stood her ground, "do you need me or not?"

He sighed heavily; "Aye lass, I do" he inhaled deeply, let it out and said "all right, consider y'self deputized. Um, I'm a bit short handed here, kin ye conjure y'self a cloak, flat black?"

She smirked and twirled her wand about her shoulders and the cloak appeared.

The old Sergeant Major nodded his approval "you'll find some sets of fatigues and dragon hide boots in the next room, just put em' on, they're self-sizing. Then hurry back, we have to fireproof the ministry building and we have less than six hours to do it."

Eager for a challenge she quickly found the fatigues and boots, donned them and felt them conform to fit comfortably. She returned in short order to see the RSM bent over the map of the ministry, he looked up and nodded at her uniform's appearance as if to say, 'that'll do, lassie, that'll do.'

What he said was "Place yer wand o'er yer heart and repeat after me . . ."

When he finished swearing her in as a deputy a copper brassard bearing the letters 'DA' appeared over her left breast, which made her grin.

"The last time we used these letters in this castle they stood for 'Dumbledor's Army'" she explained.

"Deputy Auror, Miss Granger, or rather Deputy Granger until further notice."

He motioned her to come and look more closely at the map

"We need to coordinate the fire mages so that the entire building is flame proofed, this will stop floo travel in and out but that can't be helped."

"We could use Watson's Inverse Tangents to isolate the fireplaces, that way floo travel is still possible."

Moody gazed at the young woman with his good eye and wished to all the gods that he were forty years younger, and whole.

"Right," he said, "your first task will be to set the Watson's Inverb . . ."

"Inverse Tangents, here, I'll write out the formulae and the runes." She sat down at his desk and began to write furiously.

"Baxter! Copy Deputy Granger's work here and get it to the aurors in place at the ministry. With the floos in place we should be able to get this done in half the time!"

"Damn, why didn't any of my people think of this?"

"Don't be too hard on them Prof, I mean Sergeant Major, the Inverse Tangents are usually not applied to flame spells."

"Thinkin' outside of the box deputy?"

She looked up from her work and said wistfully "Sounds like something Harry would say . . ."

Moody made it a point to look anywhere but at her as she went back to work. Twenty minutes later she said, "These are the basic arithemantic formulae, I need to go to the ministry to set the first three, after that anyone can finish."

"Baxter!"

"Aye, Mr. Moody?"

"Take a concealment specialist and Deputy Granger to the ministry, you'll be her shield."

"Aye sir!" he said to Moody, to Hermione he added more softly, "hi Hermione."

She hadn't recognized Charles Baxter from the DA because he had been a skinny, slightly clumsy kid, now he was tall and self assured. "Wow," she thought, "he matured . . . um, nicely!"

"We can take the floo to the ministry ma'am."

"Oh please, just call me Hermione, we've known each other for at least four years, I have to say, I hardly recognized you."

"Yeah, I'm getting that a lot these days. I didn't realize I was so scrawny before, it's amazing what three months of heavy workouts will do for the ego!"

She smiled and followed him to the floo. She stumbled out of the connecting fireplace in the ministry lobby and looked around. The last time she had been in the ministry after hours Dolohov had nearly cut her in half. She relaxed when she saw the other aurors.

"We're waiting on you to counter charm the Floo network before we begin to fireproof the atrium" Charles said.

She took a deep breath and began the incantations and wand patterns. As before, runic symbols appeared in the air before her then were absorbed by the target objects, in this case the three fireplaces. When she finished she cast an incendio into the nearest fireplace, stepped back and said "I'm done here, try your fire proofing charms now."

The aurors did and a bubble-like shield formed in front of the burning fireplaces.

"Excellent, we can finish in no time now!"

The teams went from room to room, all the common areas fireproofing the building, they didn't enter the Department of Mysteries as one of the unspeakables met them at the door and said "we're fine here, finish the rest of the building" then disappeared back into her shadow world.

The fire-mages were done within four hours. As they lined up at the floo networks heading back to the school Hermione asked, "anyone else here from Hogwart's?"

Baxter shrugged "Oh, a few you might remember, but I can't talk about some of them, General Order Number Three and all that."

"General Order Number Three?"

He nodded, "all I can say is that the secret will go with me to my grave, and beyond if I stay on as a ghost."

"But what . . ."

"Hermione, please don't ask, you could end my career before it begins."

"Oh . . . sorry."

"S'okay, we just have to take our secrecy oaths seriously."

"Unlike _some_ people" she said, remembering the Malfoys in her fourth year. "You seem to be enjoying military life, how long have you been in the Auror Corps?"

"Newly minted, just graduated this week."

"And they already have you in the field; don't you normally get more training before your first field assignment?"

Charles chuckled "all I can say is the 'Fighting Ninth' hatched out of auror training fully capable and ready for action. We have The Commander to thank for that."

"He must really be something; you all speak his name with such high regard."

"He has made us the finest fighting force since Merlin brought the Pendragon kings to power."

"Perhaps 'The Commander' will require a round table?" she chided.

Charles Baxter smirked and rejoined "I'll pass on that recommendation Deputy Granger, I'm sure he'll like it."

She threw a fistful of floo powder into the fireplace, called out 'Hogwart's Great Hall" and stepped into the flames, she wasn't ready for the simultaneous floo transport of another auror and the two of them were unceremoniously spewed out onto the stone floor.

"Owie" she said simply, cradling her left wrist, "really, just what I need right now, a sprain!"

The auror in a flat-black cloak of rank helped her up saying "careful now!"

"Marietta?"

Marie looked shocked, seeing Hermione Granger in an auror's cloak.

"Hermione?"

"You're an auror?" they both said in chorus.

They both laughed, "No," Hermione chuckled, "this is your Sergeant Major's idea of a low profile; I've been helping fire proof the Ministry Building." She looked serious for a moment, "the Ministry needed fire proofing didn't it? I mean, the last time that was done was during the Blitz. There's going to be trouble, isn't there?"

Marietta simply said, "yes" then looked at Hermione's rapidly swelling wrist and said "let's get you to the hospital wing."

"I hate the thought of waking up Madame Pomfrey for this; I'll just mend it myself."

"Nonsense, b'sides, I'm sure Mme. Pomfrey is still up."

They were approaching the hospital wing from the back door spiral staircase when Marietta stopped and said, "Hermione, I have to apologize to you and to everyone who was in the DA two years ago . . ."

Hermione started to protest but Marietta cut her off.

". . . I was under a lot of pressure from me mum an' I had just broken up with, well, with someone and I didn't know how truly evil that Umbitch woman was and I know that's no excuse but please accept my apology. It would mean an awful lot to me . . ."

"Y'know, Harry has taught me a lot, but mostly he taught me that it's better to forgive than not. Of course I forgive you, and please, forgive me for the, y'know, 'sneak' thing?"

Marie held out her right hand and Hermione grasped it and they shook.

As they entered the healer's facility Hermione was astounded to see all the activity. At least three dozen beds were made up, as though waiting for guests to arrive, and in addition to Madame Pomfrey there were at least two healers in lime green robes and assorted support staff, including a small army of green toga-toweled house elves.

"It's going to be bad, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe," Marietta offered, "maybe not, we just want to be ready just in case." She looked across the room and saw Healer Dumphries; then motioned him over.

"What's this then, wounded coming in already?" he asked, half jokingly.

"Yep, combat citation if ever I saw one, Healer Dumphries, Miss Granger here took on the entire floo network single handedly!"

They all chuckled at the small joke; the healer had Hermione place her arm on a table and began to heal the sprain.

"I hear you've been busy Lieutenant Pot . . ."

"The Commander is setting up the Burrow" she interrupted while pleading with her eyes for the healer to say no more, "I just needed to come back and recruit some illusionists."

"I have to do a quick inventory," the healer said, "keep this still for at least fifteen minutes or we'll have to start all over again, all right?"

Hermione nodded then turned to Marietta and said "I can do illusions; I can conjure solid objects and small animals and birds too."

"Why am I not surprised?" Marietta smirked.

"Marie?" Belle entered the facility looking worried, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Belle, why so worried?"

"Someone said you had fallen and were unconscious and being taken to the hospital wing and . . ."

Just then Belle recognized Hermione Granger, ". . . oh, hello."

Hermione thought the strikingly beautiful and sophisticated redhead looked familiar but couldn't place that face for the life of her. Perhaps she was the spokesmodel for a witch's beauty product, maybe she had been in one of the _Witches Weekly_ adverts?

"No, I took a small spill after we ran into each other coming out of the floo network; Hermione here got the worst of it."

"Marie?" Myrtle asked phasing up through the floor. "Someone said you had broken your neck! I was so worried!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. How do these rumors get started anyway?"

Hermione was getting more curious by the moment; something strange was going on here, she was sure of it.

Madame Pomfrey came over carrying a tiny baby in a blue blanket.

"I was just getting ready to feed little Paul here, would one of the mother's like to have the honors?"

Hermione's eyebrows knit together, '_one_ of the mothers?'

Belle said, "Allow me, I need to get in some practice, although with our next one I plan to feed from the 'tap.'"

She took the baby tenderly in her arms and began to feed him from the small bottle.

"What a beautiful baby boy," Hermione gushed, is he yours?

"Oh yes," Belle cooed, he's our first, the first of many if I have my way.

"Me too!" Marietta exclaimed.

"I'll have to be content with our little Paul," Myrtle gushed "but isn't he the cutest thing?"

Hermione couldn't help but notice that the lady was incredibly fit for one who had given birth in the past month or so, judging by the looks of the tiny baby in her arms. What was truly odd though was that two women and one girl ghost seemed to 'share' the mantle of motherhood.

"Um, Myrtle, please don't be upset but, how can you be Paul's mother too, I mean, you are a ghost, right?"

Myrtle smirked, "Amongst other things, yes. I'm a wife and a mother and I love my family" she made gurgling noises to Paul's obvious delight.

The healer came over and admonished Hermione to keep her arm still if she wanted the wrist to mend properly, she barely heard him.

"And Marietta is the mother too?"

All three ladies nodded.

"And the father is . . ."

"Marie?" came a familiar voice from behind her, "Marie are you all right? They told me you had fallen down a flight of stairs and were lying in a coma!"

Harry rushed past the now totally bewildered Hermione and grabbed Marietta up in a fierce embrace.

He hugged her and planted kisses all over her face and neck and said into her hair "Lef' tenant Potter; you are _not_ allowed to panic your husband and commanding officer in this manner!"

Marietta returned the hug in kind "If I get hugs and kisses I'll have to make a habit of it!"

He laughed out loud at that.

"Mrs. Potter, and my Lady Potter, how is our number one son?" He gathered his wives into a warm group hug "how's my little boy; how's my little Three Pea?"

"Um, Commander?" Marie gently interrupted.

"Yes dear?" Harry said kissing her temple.

"We have company . . ."

Harry looked around and locked eyes with his bushy haired best friend.

Hermione meant to say "Hi Harry, how are you? How did you make a baby so fast and how is it that you're an auror officer and how is it that you're married to two women and a ghost?"

What actually came out was something that sounded like "urk?"


	37. Chapter 36: The Battles Begin

Chapter 36 – The Battles Begin

_Harry looked around and locked eyes with his bushy haired best friend._

_Hermione meant to say "Hi Harry, how are you? How did you make a baby so fast and how is it that you're an auror officer and how is it that you're married to two women and a ghost?"_

_What actually came out was something that sounded like "urk?"_

Not exactly how he'd planned to introduce his family to the 'old school chums.'

Harry stepped toward Hermione and she took a step back simultaneously raising both hands in front of her as if to push him away if he got too close.

"Hermione," he said gently, "can I tell you about my summer?"

She looked over Harry's shoulder at the three worried looking ladies and her gaze hardened, "yeah Harry, let's write an essay, at least three feet of parchment, what I did over my summer holiday."

She counted off on her fingers one "You managed to have a baby, which means if he was born in July you had intimate relations with this _lady_ in October of last year, funny, you never mentioned her. Come to think of it, we didn't see much of you last October."

Holding up a second finger she continued "you managed to get a commission in less than the standard 14 weeks, which means either a time-turner was involved or your commission is fraudulent!"

She folded back her third finger until it looked painful and raised her voice "and now you say you're married to not one but three women, one of whom has been dead for fifty years! Eeeeew!"

Harry could take abuse, it rolled off him like water off a duck's back, but no one was allowed to debase his ladies, not even her.

"_Silencio_!"

Harry's eyes flashed a dangerous green, "of all people, I thought you knew me best. Of all people I thought you would understand."

He ticked off his own list, "One, Paul is our son, our _adopted_ son and we love him none the less for it."

"Two, my commission is genuine, there is a Commandant and a Brigadier here who will attest to that and you should know _deputy_ that it is a crime, punishable by up to a year in Azkaban to impersonate an officer in the auror corps."

"Third and fourth and fifth and last these three ladies, one of whom carries my unborn _daughter_ love me and I love them, and they would not have me choose between them so they all married me, and they know that there is a place in our family for one more, for the girl who has had my heart these past six years and has stood by me in bad times and worse and who seems to be determined to piss away that friendship because she didn't think before insulting my _wives_, and my son and my life on the eve of what will probably be my last day on this Earth!"

Hermione gaped, open-mouthed and wide eyed as she saw tears filling Harry's eyes. She tried to speak but the silencing charm was still in place. He blinked and tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He whispered "finite" and turned away sadly into the arms of his loves. Myrtle glared at her and turned her back on the bushy haired know it all.

Hermione ran sobbing out of the hospital wing.

Belle conjured a handkerchief and handed it to Harry, who blew his nose and sighed, "Well, that could have gone better . . ."

"My Lord Husband, will you come to bed?"

"I'd love to Milady Wife, but I'm afraid I would only disappoint tonight; much too much on my mind."

"Just a bit of rest, then?"

"I'll rest, one way or another, after tomorrow."

"Then we'll rest together milord, for I know you will win!"

Harry took heart as Belle was so convinced, for her it was truly a foregone conclusion. He slipped into 'command mode' "Lieutenant Potter, do we have an illusionist for the Burrow?"

"I'm afraid not Commander Potter, it was going to be Hermione but now . . ."

Harry nodded, "well, 'good enough' will have to be good enough, let's go back to Ottery St. Catchpole."

Myrtle said, "I'll stay here and coordinate with the castle spirits, dears, do be careful" saying this she brushed her warm ectoplasmic cheek against his, then touched foreheads with Belle, Marie and little Paul.

Marietta hefted a rough canvas sack, and with a flick of her wand shrunk it to pocket size.

'Something about that bag looks familiar' Belle thought to herself; then asked out loud "What is that Marie?"

"Just a little surprise for your nephew if I happen to see him Belle" she said sweetly "a little gift courtesy of Auror Rolfe."

As Belle and Harry and Marie went in search of a floo connection Myrtle went in search of a Granger.

ooo000ooo

One hour before sunrise the silver cage that contained the trapped lycanthropes fell open. The top of the cage swung inward and the walls of the cage fell outward. The werewolves slept on. Goyle crab-walked backwards away from the pile of lycans as Cruz, Morris and Smythe magically bound the sleeping beasts.

"No muss no fuss no botha," Morris said, "we missed all the fun!"

Cruz wasn't so sure; he'd seen the biggest werewolf twitch when he was bound. So he kept his rifle at the ready.

Keeping her wand trained on Goyle she called out "Oi, step lively now, over to the wall hands over your head."

She stepped over the prone form of Fenrir Greyback who sprang to life, broke his magical bonds and raked her back with his claws. The auror screamed and fell, dropping her wand in the process. The werewolf was too quick for José, who couldn't risk a shot for fear of hitting Tina.

Goyle couldn't believe his luck, he snatched the wand at his feet and pointed it at the larger of the two aurors, but the big man drop-rolled and fired a cutting curse that neatly holed the center of the death eater's chest.

Greyback rose from the downed auror and howled his defiance to the one who was just getting to his feet. The outsized lycan crouched to spring.

José didn't even raise the rife to aim, he just fired from the hip, putting a silver round lengthwise through the mad were's body. As the crack of the weapon echoed through the sewers he smoothly worked the bolt and chambered another Ag round. With a grim expression he raised the rifle and put a second bullet in Fenrir Greyback's skull. Cruz shouldered the firearm then ran to his fallen comrade.

Smythe was working on the wounds, trying to close them and stop the bleeding, but lycanthrope gashes were devilishly hard to mend.

"That's a right cock-up" Tina Morris groaned "turned me back on im' I did!"

"Its all right, _mi querida_, you couldn't have known."

"I could've and should've. I assumed, _damnit_!" she hissed as the infected scratches stung her back, "and you know what that means!"

"I know," he said gently, "makes an ass out of you and me."

"Oh José," she sighed, "just let me die, or better yet, put a bullet in my brainpan."

"No, we'll get through this, you and me!"

She wanted so much to believe him, but knew their life together was over before it had truly begun.

"Smythe, I'll take over here, make sure the others are really asleep and double the bindings, all right?"

Smythe nodded and tended to the prisoners.

­­ooo000ooo

Hermione ran blindly down the corridor and into a girl's bathroom where she locked herself in a cubicle, sat on the only seat available and began to wail in earnest. Goddamn overactive teenage hormones, was Harry letting his todger do _all_ his thinking for him? She felt as though her life was over. Harry, _her_ Harry was married. Her monogamous upbringing didn't allow her to wrap her brain around the concept of polygamy or polyamory for that matter. When she allowed her logical self to look at the real reason for her anguish it was simple. She was the plain-brain. The 'bushy haired know-it-all' and that's all she would or could ever be to Harry. And then there were the other 'wives;' one drop-dead gorgeous redhead and one auror whose athletic beauty could easily grace the cover of the Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit edition. How could she hope to compete with that? Myrtle, on the other hand, was a complete and utter mystery.

So in fits and starts Hermione spent the better part of two hours being bewildered and heartbroken, crying like she had that day six years before when Ronald had called her a nightmare. As she remembered this she thought of how precious little Harry had jumped on a mountain troll's back to protect her and how she had fallen completely in love with him at that moment and she howled in grief, mourning for the love that was now beyond her grasp.

"Somehow, 'Howling Hermione' doesn't have the same ring to it."

Hermione looked up and saw Myrtle's face phased through the cubicle door.

"Shut it, you! Just leave me alone!"

"Well there's the problem then innit? You barge into the one room that has been my home for the past fifty years then tell _me_ to get out?"

The corporeal girl stood in a huff and said "fine, I'll leave you to it then."

Myrtle did something that she hadn't done in fifty years as a ghost, she pushed a corporeal being, causing Hermione to sit down, shocked.

Before she could ask 'how' the ghost girl shrugged and said, "I got a little coaching from Peeves."

"Brightest witch of her age, huh? Tell me, Hermione Granger, what's come over you in the past year or so? You used to be so good at reading Harry and now you can't tell anymore when he's hurting, when he needs you, when he needs his best friend? You were so good together, real friends and then everything went to shite last year, why? What did Harry do that was so awful that you stopped being, well, _his_ Hermione?"

In a very small voice she said "he stopped needing me . . ."

"Oh Great Goddess of All give me strength! What made you think _that_?"

"I'm not pretty, I'm not athletic; I'm 'the brainy one,' all right? All of a sudden he's popular, captain of the Quidditch team. Girls are falling all over him and he doesn't see me anymore. He's Slughorn's favorite little 'potion's master' because of that damn book . . ."

"He offered to share that with you; couldn't you see that his potions were better because he dared to be different? It could've just as easily blown up in his face, but he was willing to take a chance."

"Then Ginny is all over him like a cheap robe . . ."

Myrtle's eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open in utter disbelief. Jealousy; she was plainly and simply jealous. She was envious of his athletic prowess, resentful that he had out-performed her in potions and green-eyed because he was finding love and she wasn't.

"Its not very becoming, y'know" Myrtle offered.

"What do you know?"

"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude."

Hermione's Church of England upbringing kicked in "Paul to the Corinthians . . ."

"Paul could have easily been describing our Harry, he isn't jealous or arrogant and he is very patient and kind, he's so easy to love."

Hermione looked up at the ghost and realized that Moaning Myrtle was feeling sorry for _her_. "What do you know?" She repeated, this time sans sarcasm.

"I know I had to die before love found me, I know I will do whatever I can to help him. I'm trying to help him now. He needs you."

"He'll find himself an illusionist . . ."

"No, not as good as you, and 'good enough' won't be good enough, but that's not what I'm talking about, he needs _you_."

"What do you mean?"

"When we're, y'know, 'with him,' he invites me in – we call it 'visiting.' I get to share his thoughts, and you know that 'little voice' we all hear in our heads, our conscience?"

Hermione nodded her understanding.

"That little voice is you. Don't you know he's loved you for over five years?"

Her tear puffed eyes grew wide, "oh God!"

Myrtle nodded, seeing the understanding in the other girls face.

"Right now he feels your disapproval washing over him and it's tearing at him, in his mind if you think he's wrong then he can't be right, and in this frame of mind he's about to face Voldemort. You may have just done more to defeat my _husband_ than all the death eaters under Riddle combined."

"Oh God, no!"

Hermione burst out of the stall and ran back to the hospital wing, crying "ohGod ohGod ohGod" all the way down the hall and up the stairs. She skidded to a halt before running into Madame Pomfrey, who was cradling baby Paul; little baby Paul Potter, whom Harry loved.

"Where are they?" she asked, out of breath.

Myrtle floated up from the floor, "they're at the Burrow; take the hospital floo, hurry."

Hermione literally fell out of the fireplace in the Weasley's home, knocking over somebody who had arrived a few seconds before.

"We have _got_ to stop meeting like this" said a slightly annoyed Marietta Edgecombe Potter.

Hermione broke down sobbing and wailed "I'm so sorry, oh God I'm so sorry!"

Marietta held her close and said, "s'okay, nothing's broken – see?"

"No I'm sorry for the awful things I said to you, all of you and I'm sorry I wasn't there for Harry all last year and I've been a right bitch about _everything_!"

She felt herself being lifted up by strong arms and pulled into a gentle embrace and wailed into Harry's chest.

"It's alright love, it's all right now."

Living with three ladies had given Harry the experience to handle a crying female, he knew to cuddle and caress and that little rocking thing and to say "it's all right, it's all right love, you're here and that's all that matters."

After a while she realized what a sight she must be, her hair even more frazzled than usual, her eyes blotchy, her nose red and runny, marks on her cheeks where she had scratched them in her anguish. She stepped back and was shocked to see him looking at her as though she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"We told him you'd figure it out" Marietta smirked.

"She had to," added Belle, "brightest witch of her age, after all."

Hermione composed herself as best she could "Deputy Granger reporting for illusion duty, sir!"

"Glad to have you aboard, deputy" he said with a broad smile. Then he went into his 'command mode.'

"The plan is to set up golems and illusions around the Burrow, to make it look like there's a wedding celebration going on. We know Moldishort's will be arriving about mid morning with some goblins to drop the defensive wards and a few DEs to create mayhem, we plan to let them. Then my troops will take out the death eaters and any dark creatures with them and I'll face his snakeyness, don't give me that look, you know the prophecy. Only I can do it, anyone else who tries, dies."

Hermione looked at the golems, which met with her approval, then pulled her wand and drilled a hole in one with a cutting curse. The golem stood there blinking.

"We have to spell them to react to curses, and we need to hollow them out and fill them with something that will pass for blood, otherwise the death eaters will know they're not real in the first ten seconds."

Belle nodded in satisfaction "can you . . ."

Hermione raised one eyebrow and smirked.

". . . of course you can, let's get started then, we can all help."

They got down to it, Harry getting his camouflaged aurors in place, Hermione and the Misuses' Potters prepping the golems. When they were done the two dozen simulacrums looked and sounded very life-like.

The fireplace burned a brilliant green and Lieutenant's Smythe and Cruz stepped out. Both were very subdued. Marietta noticed and asked "what is it?"

Smythe took a deep breath, then answered, "we got the werewolves under St. Mungo's, all of em,' but Auror Morris got . . ."

Harry knew he'd have to face casualties under his command, he just didn't expect it so soon. "What happened?"

"Greyback happened, sir, the big wolf clawed her before I got him."

"It must have been bad, you were right there at the hospital" Marietta said sympathetically, "I know you tried everything you could; you just couldn't get her help in time."

"In time for what? She said she didn't want to live, she wanted me to shoot her on the spot!" Cruz grieved.

"You didn't . . ."

"Of course I didn't, but she's convinced her life, _our_ life, is over now that she's infected!"

Harry snapped his head in José's direction "she's alive?"

"Yes sir, alive but infected with the lycan virus."

Harry threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace and called "Auror Tonks!"

Tonks' head appeared in the fireplace "Yes Commander?"

"How's Remus?"

"He's good sir, thank you for asking." Then she seemed to ponder for a moment, "um, Commander, why are you asking?"

"Auror Morris was attacked by Greyback this morning, she's been infected and I was hoping maybe he could talk to her?"

Tonks understood immediately "I'll send him over as soon as he wakes up, the wolf's bane makes him a little groggy."

"Thanks Tonks; how are things downtown?"

"Ministry's all set, your friend Granger really came through for us, without her we wouldn't have been able to have this little chat, she's kept the floo network open for us."

"That's my Mione" he chuckled, the deputy in question blushed at his praise.

He broke the connection and turned to Cruz "Auror Tonks is in a serious relationship with Remus Lupin, who just happens to be one of my family's oldest friends _and_ a werewolf. When we're done here you are to find Auror Morris and convince her that you do have a life together. Consider that an order, Lieutenant Cruz."

José snapped to attention and saluted, "aye sir!"

The golems were set in motion, music came from the wizard's wireless and a pre-wedding atmosphere descended on the burrow.

ooo000ooo

Karen Ramsey had been cleaning out the offices of the powerful and important wizards for three decades, she was a squib but her work record was impeccable. She was the next best thing to a house elf, very conscientious and meticulous in her duties, and she didn't mind being one of the 'invisibles,' one of the menials that no one noticed unless there was a mess left somewhere. She put her cleaning supplies away, then, taking a little nip from her hip flask headed for the lift that would put her out by way of the old telephone booth.

She warily shuffled behind the dumpster where she met the wide open, sightless eyes of Karen Ramsey. She chucked as she remembered meeting 'herself' as she wandered into work in the wee hours of the morning. A quick AK and the body was dragged to its current resting place. Carraticus Crabbe then took the middle aged squib's identification badge and shuffled to the phone booth to go to work. Imagine his delight when he found he had access to every main office on every floor. He went from room to room, placing the fire runes where they would do the most good. There was nothing Crabbe liked better than a good fire, the heat, the smoke, the smell of burning flesh, he reveled in it. The only thing better was a good AK; he loved the look of utter surprise as his victims were snuffed out like candles. Two simple words and he was death itself. He loved his job.

"Ya done good darlin'" the polyjuiced death eater said to his unappreciative audience of one, then sat down to wait for the polyjuice potion to wear off and to pick off the panicking ministry employees as they ran from the emergency exits.

ooo000ooo

Deep in the forbidden forest three giants played football with all that remained of Gawp.

"No football, heed-ball" one of the giants grunted out and laughed as he kicked the battered skull yet again in the direction of the two other giants.

A team of goblin mercenaries had created a 'ward tunnel' by finding a weak spot in the wards near the forbidden forest and worrying it until it opened enough to let the Dark Lord's forces through. When the various creatures and humans were through the wards the goblins prepared to leave.

Antonin Dolohov, Voldemort's on-site commander asked "vhat, not stayink? I sought you vas mercs?"

"We were paid to open the wards; we opened the wards, now we will leave."

"If you stay and fight you can haff vhatever you vant from dis castle" the death eater offered.

"Pig in a poke" the spokes-goblin rejoined, "you are not in the castle yet, nor do I think you will be. This castle has never been taken by force."

The goblins walked into the forest to Dolohov's chorus of "off wiz you zhen, who needs you?"

Three hundred inferi ambled aimlessly within a corral. Their movements were being controlled by Phaedra, the Dark Lord's own necromancer, an albino witch with white hair and pink eyes who had been bound to the dead from the moment of her birth and had extraordinary control over lifeless corpses. She became, in fact their will. She didn't particularly like the job, but it was what she was. What she cared about most was getting Selene, her seven year old white haired daughter away from the Dark Lord as soon as possible so that they could go back to their life of well planned obscurity. She felt pity for the victims-to-be but she knew better than most that every living thing dies so she could afford to be philosophical about it.

Nearby a small squadron of dementors hovered just below the treeline, within the wards that kept their soul sucking proclivities away from the rest of Voldemort's troops. The DEs kept one wary eye on them and the other on the giants.

The first mob was made up almost entirely of newly marked grey robes, being admonished by Jack Rolfe.

"We have the honor and privilege of being the point of the spear, we will be the first to the walls of Hogwarts and then what we do will go down in history, every man here . . ."

"And woman!" came a shrill voice in the crowd.

". . .and woman will do what they have ta do or die in the trying, right mates?"

The cheer that went up from the three dozen death eater novices made the more jaded members of the Dark Lord's corps chuckle. Let the cannon fodder cheer, their job was to draw fire from the castle defenders so that the experienced troops could target the defenses. If any of them actually survived their grey robes would be exchanged for black, they already had the dark mark on them; they just needed to be blooded to complete the ritual. Dolohov thought 'Pity about zat Jack Rolfe, he vas all right, a real leader who had managed to pull conscripts into a cohesive unit. Maybe zhey could pull him out just before ze charge?'

Among the grey-robes was Voldemort's mole, a polyjuiced Severus Snape.

ooo000ooo

Crabbe looked at the wristwatch on Karen's lifeless arm, half past eight, right about now the runes would be bursting into flame all over the ministry, in a few seconds the people would be pouring out of the emergency exits. . . there! He gleefully began casting from the cover of the dumpster "Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!" Into the crowd. It was hard to tell at first if he was having any effect as the people seemed to stumble over each other in their haste. Not that it mattered; he was having the time of his life! Then something slammed the dumpster against him, smearing him along the brick wall, and he knew no more.

As the fiery runes erupted into impotent flames within the building the golems and illusions began running out of the emergency exits. To a muggle on the street it would look as though a crowd was leaving the underground, except there was no station near this location.

Commander Donovan, Sergeant Major Moody and their spotters saw AKs being launched from four different locations, Donovan sighted in on the one behind the dumpster and his fellow marksmen lined up on theirs. At his command "now!" they all fired deadly spells. No sense wasting time and ministry resources on lengthy trials here; just finish the job and move on. Alistor's target had been blasted into the ground by a powerful reductor, he looked more like a stepped on bug than an assassin, which pretty much summed up Moody's opinion of the cowardly scum.

ooo000ooo

At Hogwarts the dementors glided over the trees and across the lawn, the ensuing drop in temperature, misty fog and smell of death would have everyone in the castle scrambling around in blind panic. Except they weren't, instead half a dozen patroni of different sizes and forms flew out to drive the dementors into a space just above a turreted tower. Five powerful ultra-violet spotlights came on, bathing the dementors in excruciating light. When any one dementor tried to flee the six patroni would gang up on it and force it back into the lights. The sound of an unholy terror screaming in unholy terror was oddly satisfying, even more so was the fact that the dementor borne fog was dissipating; allowing the morning sun to add to their woes. Thirty seconds of this treatment proved to be thirty seconds too long and each of the dark creatures burst into flames.

"Keep the lights on em!" Brigadier admonished "there can't be any part of them left or they'll regenerate!"

Two more patroni joined the group, a Jack Russell terrier belonging to Ron Weasley and an enormous stallion.

"Good one, Neville!"

"Thanks Ron; just needed a happy thought is all!"

"And what was that?" Ron asked

Neville grinned broadly, "A gentleman never tells, all right? You'll figure it out later, b'sides, we're kinda busy here!"

Yet another patronus joined the group, effectively fencing in the now screeching dementors, this one looking like a large platypus with a crenellated horn protruding from its brow.

"What in the nine hells is _that_?" a bewildered Ron asked.

"Crumple-horned snorkack" Luna answered smugly.

Jack Rolfe saw that the defenders were busy containing the dementors and shouted "Let's go!"

The three dozen cheering death eater novices ran abreast to the long castle wall, appeared to jump and then disappeared. Just like that, gone. No one had fired a single curse on either side, and it looked like the Earth just swallowed them up. What the other death eaters didn't see was the concealed trench that had been prepared for 'Jack's Platoon' as Harry had called it. They also didn't see the grey robed novices empty their pockets of small runes, anti-portkey charms that would not allow anyone to use magical means of transport in order to desert.

"Send in the giants!"

The giant's handlers screamed "Food!" Then pointed to the castle, "there food!"

The giants lifted their clubs and began the ambling walk that could eat up distance in no time. As the giants cleared the trees a half dozen Auror troops popped the covers off olive-drab fiberglass cylinders, each auror marked his or her target with a cry of "left" or "middle or "right!" They then telescoped the tubes to their full length, shouldered, aimed and fired the light anti-tank weapons (LAWs) into each giant's center of mass. Two rockets hit each giant squarely in the chest then exploded. All three giants crumpled like gargantuan puppets with their strings cut.

"Inferi!" Dolohov screamed "release the inferi, follow zhem into castle!"

Phaedra's walking dead began to amble across the lawn, they would form ladders with their own bodies allowing the others to climb up and over the castle walls, there would be more death and more inferi made today. The remaining death eaters moved in behind the soulless automatons using them as shields as they began to fire at the castle defenders.

No one returned fire; instead the ghosts appeared on the parapets. They may have looked very faint in the morning sunlight; but their voices sounded strong and, well, alive!

"For Queen and Country!"

"For our land and our home!"

"For Hogwart's!"

"For Harry!"

With that they fell into the inferi, which stopped, then turned around to grab the nearest death eaters who screamed as their limbs were methodically, mercilessly torn from their bodies. The death eater's who were farther back began to fire AKs into the inferi, but being already dead the Avada Kedavras had no effect. One DE got lucky with a severing charm and decapitated one of the murderously efficient corpses, which fell, grizzly head rolling from decomposing body, and was still.

"The heads, the heads! Cut off the heads!" one of the panicky death nibblers screamed.

The cutting curses were flying so erratically that some of the death eaters were cut down by their own comrades.

As she hovered over the far end of the inferi formation on her broom Phaedra was confused, "what is controlling them, if not me?"

"Maw – ma . . ." a small voice said near her feet. "Maw . . . ma . . .ma" it kept repeating.

She looked down in absolute horror at her own little Selene, a tiny caricature of a zombie, both piteous and horrifying.

The necromancer howled "Noooooooooooo!" over and over again in utter grief and rage.

She turned her pink eyes to the newly fallen death eaters and to the giants and spoke the words that would animate them. Then she pointed at the death eaters who were desperately slashing at the rest of her army and screamed "Kill them! Kill them all!"

The newly dead, including the giants surrounded the dwindling mass of death eaters who found they could neither portkey nor apparate away, being prevented by the runes in the blood stained grass.

When the last death eater had died (by his own hand rather than be torn apart by inferi) Phaedra settled on the ground next to her dead but animated daughter. She barked a single syllable incantation and all the dead, even her little Selene, fell to the ground and moved no more.

The spirit of the Grey Lady, Rowena Ravenclaw herself appeared and asked "Phaedra, the Dark has taken much from you, why do you serve?"

"I had no choice, milady, they had my little moon child, they had Selene, and they took her . . ."

"What will you do now?"

"I am a necromancer, I will take my daughter and we will go. Someplace warm I think. Haiti, yes, we will go to Haiti . . ."

Phaedra gathered her small daughter's body into her arms, mounted her broom and flew west.

Back on the battlements the defenders looked at each other, 'was that it?' They didn't know whether to laugh or to cry or to cheer, but they did know that it wasn't over yet. Voldemort was still out there. And their Commander had to face him.


	38. Chapter 37: The Battles End

Chapter 37 – The Battles End

Voldemort stood on a small hill overlooking the Burrow in Ottery St. Catchpole, the goblins had done well, surprisingly well in fact, the wards were down and no one in the house was in any way the wiser, judging by the activities.

"Sheep" he thought aloud.

"Sheep milord?" Draco asked.

The self styled Dark Lord nodded his head, "like sheep in a slaughterhouse, none will survive the day."

"Including Potter, milord?" Draco asked, eagerly.

"Especially Potter! Young Malfoy, take four men to the far side of the house, do not let yourselves be seen, when you see the Dark Mark above the house kill everything in sight, understand?"

"Yes milord, Dark Mark, kill everything!"

He looked at his little sycophant and wondered if maybe he hadn't given him one too many crucios.

"Nott, go to the front of the house with your group, same orders."

"Yes milord."

Voldemort watched the activity, the bustle, people entering and leaving the house like they hadn't a care in the world or a brain in their heads; the fat lady had already brought out a pan of biscuits, then gone inside with the same pan again. Truly brainless sheep; killing them would be a mercy.

He took a deep breath and said aloud, "no time like the present" and he walked majestically, silken robes flowing behind, down the hill. He fancied himself quite the stirring sight.

As he neared the house no one seemed to notice, '_hell-looooo,' _he thought contemptuously_ 'Dark Lord in our midst!_'

"Enough of this normalcy" he muttered under his breath, "time for a little mayhem!" He threw his wand arm straight up and screamed "_Mosmorde!_"

As the dark green skull appeared, snake writhing from its mouth the wedding preparations stopped and indeed all hell broke loose. People were running and screaming and being mowed down by deadly curses, exploding in satisfying gouts of blood and gore.

The house began to burn and people were hit with deadly curses as they ran out of the flames.

Around the side of the house Draco was seething. No one was coming out his door, no one for him to AK.

"Expeliarmus!"

Draco's wand went flying; his four death eaters looked around and saw no one. Two black robed DEs stood back to back and scanned for the threat. There was a loud crack and the two fell to the ground, holed by a single bullet. Another was killed by a cutting curse and the last by another crack of the rifle.

Draco looked to the trees behind him and saw part of the forest move in his direction.

"Hi Draco," said one of the pieces of forest, "remember this?"

As he heard this he felt the slash of a scourge. Somehow the complete irony escaped him; being flogged by his own cat o' nine tails. He fell to his hands and knees screaming, bleeding from his face and ruined left eye.

"You used this to torture and scar someone who means the world to me, how do _you_ like it you little _fuck?_"

The cat landed again and again on Draco's back, arms, legs, whichever part presented itself. His death eater's cloak afforded little or no protection from the razor sharp barbs embedded in the lead at the end of the strands. His back, chest, arms, legs and face were soon criss crossed with bloody stripes as the lash descended again and again. He shrieked in agony, his piteous cries changing volume and timbre with each stroke. He lay on the ground, his knees drawn up to his chest, bloody hands over his face in the fetal position.

"That's enough dear," a familiar voice said "please don't descend to his level."

Marietta threw off her Ghillie suit jacket and looked horrified at her own handiwork. She threw down the lash and threw up on the lawn.

"You see my sister wife revenge is, ultimately, unsatisfying." She cast a cleaning spell on her nephew's wounds and another charm to lessen his pain.

Marietta was on her hands and knees, sobbing ashamedly at what she had done.

"He needed to know what it felt like, he deserved more" she cried.

"Perhaps," Belle rejoined, "but not by you, or even me. If _we_ punish him its revenge, only someone who is impartial can truly serve justice."

She took Draco's bloody face in her hands and said "now you begin to feel the pain you've visited on so many others . . ."

He looked through his remaining good eye and recognized the blurry outline of his aunt's face; he looked down and saw the handle of her wand protruding from its forearm holster. He took his shot, snatching the wand as he pushed her away, he stood and leveled it.

"Avada . . ."

Krack!

Draco looked confused for a moment then looked down to see the red stain spreading over the front of his shirt. He looked at Belle and opened his mouth to speak then fell face forward onto the lawn.

José Cruz chambered another round.

Harry walked over to the remains of his old school rival; he could not bring himself to gloat at Draco's passing, instead he looked saddened, "you would have stolen my wife and child from me so easily. Were you ever given the chance to be a decent human being? Its better this way, I think."

ooo000ooo

As soon as the dark mark was cast Harry's camouflaged troops began to take out the death eaters, no stupefies, no incarcerous hexes, these were the worst of the worst, orders were shoot to kill. Voldemort was so intent on his own grand entrance that he didn't notice his troops dropping like flies behind him.

"Harry Potter! Come out, come out! We have business to finish here!"

"I'm right here Tom" Harry said calmly "no need to shout."

Voldemort was amazed, where had the skinny 14 year old gone that he had held captive in the graveyard? This young man looked like an athlete, no, a warrior! He looked very imposing in the robes of an Auror Corps officer.

"Well Harry, you're looking fit . . ."

"Wish I could say the same for you Tom."

Voldemort closed his eyes, trying to contain his anger, then went on to say "an officer and a gentleman, I see I've had a positive influence on your life, for what else would have driven you so?"

"Oh yeah, Tom, a bloody regular recruiting poster child you are, you should get a stipend from the Corps."

"Enough Harry, you will refer to me as Lord Voldemort or 'My Lord,' there is no more Tom Riddle."

ooo000ooo

Myrtle looked around the castle, with the defeat of Voldemort's forces the wedding preparations were in full swing, but she sensed that she needed to go to Harry, quickly, she spied Ron Weasley.

"Ron, Harry needs our help, he's at the burrow; do you know where the nearest fireplace floo is?"

"Um, hospital wing I think . . ."

"He needs us NOW Ronald!"

"All right, all right, I'm goin.' How're _you_ gonna get there?"

"Just go Ron!"

He ran, she floated to the hospital fireplace, just as Ron said "The Burrow" and stepped into the flames Myrtle phased into him. As they both exited the Burrow's fireplace she said, "sorry Ron" and stepped out of him, "but I need to be here." Ron looked around and saw the place was on fire, but wait, not on fire, it was an illusion and there was Hermione, in an auror's cloak sitting cross-legged on the floor, maintaining the illusion of flames.

"Hermione?"

Her concentration broken the flames winked out of existence.

Outside, near the front of the building Theodore Nott marveled at the skill of the illusionist. The house had been burning; there was heat and acrid smelling smoke and very convincing flames. He walked around the corner and saw the Dark Lord having a discussion with Harry Potter; he drew his wand and leveled it at the Potter brat.

"Put the wand down Theodore and you may live a little longer."

He knew that voice, but the beautiful redhead who spoke was like no one he knew. Still, the voice was unmistakable.

"Bellatrix? They said you was dead!"

"Bellatrix Lestrange is dead, I am someone else."

She had an air of serenity about her in the face of all this death and seemed very content; completely self-assured. Nott grew furious at her calm.

"Yew don' know what the Dark Lord did, didja?"

Belle shook her head no.

"E' blamed me f'you escapin' dinnee? He crucio'd me f' half an hour e' did then yew know whot?" Nott was screaming now "E' castrates me! Says I kin' have me balls back when I don't use em f' thinkin' no more!"

Then Nott saw that she didn't even have a wand. Who did this bint think she was? Thinkin' she could tell him what to do with no wand or weapon to back her up. He raised his wand in her direction.

"I think you should put the wand down now, Theodore, there is a weapon pointed at you right now and if you even look like you're about to cast a curse you will die."

He sneered "bluffin', yer just bluffin'!"

Belle closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, "I tried, Goddess knows I tried . . ."

"Avada . . ."

Harry and Voldemort turned at the sound of the rifle just in time to see Theodore Nott's head explode in a spray of blood and brain tissue. The Dark Lord spied Belle and recognized her in spite of her disguise. His red, cat-like eyes grew wide and he laughed.

"You have masked her mark well young Harry, I still cannot sense her." He was still convinced that _his_ mark could only be removed by himself "and I sense another presence here . . . the littlest Potter forming nicely my pet?"

Voldemort was experiencing the nearest thing to joy that he could, Bellatrix was here, the Issue of Mine Enemy ritual was again possible, probable even; because there was no way in Hell Potter would be walking away from here. He would be stupefied then carried out and kept alive so that he could see everyone he ever cared about being butchered before his very green eyes.

"I'm over here Tom," Harry said, proud that the desperation didn't come through his voice, he needed Belle out of the snake's field of vision "I brought you some prezzies."

Voldemort turned back to Harry, "presents?"

Harry removed the small bag from his inner pocket and flung it in the Dark One's direction. He caught the bag handily in his over-long white fingertips and up-ended it, allowing the shrunken trinkets to fall to the ground. He then cast the _finite_ to restore the objects to their original sizes and looked in horror at the horcruxes at his feet. All of them except. . .

"You don't have them all Potter!"

Harry flipped the left half of his cloak over his shoulder, revealing the Sword of Gryffindor and more importantly to Riddle, the scabbard.

Voldemort could sense no connection to any of the objects, they were truly dead.

For the first time in over sixteen years Lord Voldemort felt real fear.

Harry felt a presence tell him 'now' and he began casting.

"Lumos Solaris!"

"Imper . . ."

"Experlliamus!"

". . . perio!"

Harry was ready for the priori incantatum this time and knew to hold onto his wand with both hands, the combined spells raced back to Tom Riddle's wand and the shades of several people came out, men, women and a white haired child began to surround the Dark one shouting and pointing accusatory fingers at him. He screamed at the top of his lungs as Harry began to strip him of his magic. The magic needed somewhere to go but Harry would not accept it so it flowed out of Voldemort like black bile and began to dissipate into the air. Some of the magic formed a cohesive charcoal-black vapor that attempted to get under Harry's defenses but the shades from the evil wand held the blackness at bay. Harry didn't know how much longer he could hold on, but he knew he _had_ to win this time, or history would repeat itself in an endless loop of resurrected dark power and death and battle and sorrow.

"Not again Tom, _never_ again!" Harry shouted over the roar of voices and raw power.

The magic surrounding them seemed to fall in on itself forming a tiny mystic singularity, followed by a sound like the clap of thunder and a shockwave that knocked everyone within sight of it off their feet. Those closest to the epicenter were hit hardest; Harry and Tom were flung in opposite directions to land bonelessly at least fifty feet from each other.

Harry saw a bright white light and then his world went dark.

He woke lying face up in the grass feeling his forehead being caressed by soft, gentle hands. As his senses returned he felt rather than saw that his head was in a lap and a young girl's voice was singing softly.

"_Give me five minutes more, only five minutes more  
Let me stay, let me stay in your arms_

Here am I, begging for, only five minutes more  
Only five minutes more of your charms . . ."

Harry opened his eyes and looked into the smiling eyes of Myrtle Frisbee Potter.

"Hello Mrs. Potter."

"Hello Mr. Potter."

"This feels nice" they both said simultaneously; then laughed.

"I didn't think I'd feel anything when I crossed over, but I'm glad you're here."

"We haven't crossed over quite yet, I am going to be the guide on this crossing" a serenely smiling Myrtle said, "we can stay a while longer, go ahead and rest my husband; everything and everyone else can wait a while."

Harry closed his eyes and had the most restful sleep he'd had in, well, ever!

He woke to find himself lying on a soft blanket, Myrtle spooned against his back as he lay on his side. His cloak had been removed and made for a nice pillow.

"Rested now love?" His newly corporal wife asked.

Harry looked around and nodded, "yeah, I feel great!"

Then he looked into her eyes and said, "I suppose we'll have to get up now?"

"Only if you want to, we have all the time in the world."

"Well in that case" Harry laughed and spun around so that he faced his wife, then rolled onto his back pulling her on top of him in the process.

"I love my sister wives, but I'm feeling just a bit selfish right now and I'd like you all to myself Mister Potter."

"Whatever you say Misses Potter."

They made love in the green grass, completely lost in each other. She was unbelievably soft and fragrant and she knew how to please her man. When they were both sated with each other she gave him a tumbler of cool, clear water. He drank and felt completely full.

He felt, rather than heard something over the top of the grassy slope.

"I would like to look around, will you be with me?"

"Of course, silly!"

He stood and then helped her to her feet. She felt so warm and soft and real he had to kiss her, tenderly. They stood entwined, locked in their tender kiss for what seemed like days until he finally, regretfully broke the kiss.

"Maybe we should lie down again" he suggested with a roguish wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Time for more of that later, lover!" she chided.

He looked around at the green expanses, they stood halfway up the slope of a gentle hill and he could see trees in the distance. The sky was a deep blue with just a few clouds to break the monotony.

"Which way?" he asked.

"Which way do you want to go?" she rejoined.

"I'd like to see what's over that hill."

Myrtle laughed and took his hand "I knew you would; come along then!"

When they crested the hill they saw a bewildered looking young man, not long out of school from the looks of him. Harry recognized the Tom Riddle from Hogwart's fifty years before.

"Oh thank Merlin," the young man said "I thought I was all alone here!"

Harry remembered something Myrtle had said; was it weeks or months ago, he couldn't quite remember, how she wanted to be the one to escort Tom to the next great adventure. And further how everyone had the same destination, but not the same destiny.

Harry was at peace with his destiny, Tom was evidently not.

Was that all there was? Was that the only difference between Heaven and Hell, one's perception of it? If so then the powers that be had a divine sense irony. Harry approved, of course.

"Harry," Myrtle said, "I need you to go back for a while my love, I promise I'll be waiting right here when you return. I need to guide Tom over the next hill."

"Will you be right here when I come back?" Harry asked, his voice betraying a little worry.

"Harry, remember this, time has no meaning here, to me it will be as though you just stepped out for a moment then came back. Remember, I'll be right here. Don't weep for me, my husband, I'll be right here. Remember that and remember that I'll always love you.

"Just a kiss before I go?"

She smiled and kissed him, pouring all the love she had into his being, giving him something that he'd always have with him for as long as he lived.

He woke again to the sound of crying, the smell of burnt flesh and pain. Pain in his arm, pain in his head and ringing in his ears.

"Ouch?" he whispered hoarsely.

The crying stopped abruptly, "Harry?"

"My – own, my own knee, Mione?" he croaked

The crying began again but this time it was joyful, "Oh Harry, Harry, Harry . . ."

He heard Ron say, "we thought we'd lost you mate, lie still, all right?"

"Can't" he said as he struggled to sit up before standing, "I have to do something first." He groaned as his head spun "how bout a hand?"

Ron and Hermione helped him to his feet.

"Tom?" he asked.

"That's him over there" Ron pointed to a charred husk of a man, his left arm blown off clear to the elbow. His breathing was labored and ragged as if he seemed intent on getting one more breath before giving up. Harry cast a stasis spell on the dying wizard.

"I need to get back to Hogwart's, there's something I have to do, quickly." He instinctively knew the field would hold for no more than an hour, then Tom would be truly dead and gone.

The trio stumbled into the kitchen and then through the fireplace to Hogwart's

They popped through the green flames to see Marietta and Belle practically man-handling Healer Dumphries and Madame Pomfrey toward the fireplace.

Marietta was the first to see Harry and she fainted.

"My Lord!" Belle screamed as she launched herself at her husband, "oh My Lord, I thought you were, you were . . ."

"Dead?" Harry offered. "I think I was, but Mrs. Potter sent me back, apparently I have to do some things here first."

Marietta was being helped to a bed by the same healer she was trying to kidnap just moments before.

Belle looked stricken, "how long before you . . ."

"Have to go back? No telling; how much time do any of us have, really? Could be today, could be tomorrow, could be a few centuries from now. One thing I remember, time has no meaning there, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. But the parts of it I saw were beautiful!"

Harry remembered why he needed to get back quickly, "where can I find Jack and the other novices?"

"They're in the transfiguration classroom getting debriefed" Marietta offered, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.

I have to see them. I have to do something before Riddle's soul can be released.

Belle and Marietta each took an arm to help him down to the Great Hall, Hermione let them take their husband, it was, after all their right, and walked behind alongside Ron.

Harry stopped suddenly, "Belle, is Narcissa marked?"

Her eyes grew suddenly wide, "yes milord!"

"Willingly?"

"No milord husband, she was under compulsion."

He thought for just a moment, and then said "go find her, bring her back here."

She hugged him fiercely and sobbed, "thank you milord" then ran to the nearest Floo connection.

As they entered the classroom John Rolfe shouted "Thank Merlin, he's here!" The thirty six grey robed men and women in the room all fell to their knees and bared their left arms. Each one bore the hated tattoo.

Harry stretched out his hand "Where there was darkness, let there be light! Where there was fear, let there be hope! And where there was emptiness, let there be love, _absum_ _obscurum animum!_"

Three dozen men and women stiffened at the incantation and some shrieked as the tattoo and the darkness binding their souls dissipated in a blinding light. Those that didn't close their eyes were seeing spots for days afterward. Everyone present noted that the release spell had been preformed wandlessly.

Every grey-robed former death eater, save one, remained on their knees to offer undying fealty to the Noble House of Potter.

Harry looked at the one standing and said, "Snape, we're done with each other," the potion's master looked as though he were about to speak, Harry stopped him with a gesture "don't say anything, just go, if I see you again I'll have to kill you and that would disappoint my wives."

For once in his life Severus Snape had the presence of mind to just turn and leave. Harry had already given his attention to the former death eaters kneeling before him "I offer you the friendship and protection of the House of Potter, you have done a great service here and I will not forget you."

He looked up just in time to see a dazed and confused Narcissa Malfoy staring at the newly unmarked arms. She looked up at Harry and fell to her knees, baring her left arm as well.

One final _". . .absum obscurum animum"_ and they were done. Those who wanted to be free of the dark mark were. Those who clung to it would receive their due because after the fall of the dark lord anyone found bearing a dark mark, freely taken, would be summarily kissed.

As Harry turned around he saw Hermione and Ron on their knees as well. He smiled and shook his head. Reaching down to lift each to their feet he said "I have enough liegemen and women, but what I need are two best friends, please?"

Hermione broke first and grabbed Harry in a rib cracking hug.

"Um, Hermione?" he squeaked.

"Um hum?"

"Breathing is good!"

"Oh!" she squeaked, then loosened the embrace but didn't let go.

Harry looked over to Belle and Marie, who smiled their approval.

He rested his chin on the top of her head and said gently, "Hermione, love, we have a wedding to go to . . ."

"If that's a proposal the answer is yes" she said and raised her head so that she could lock lips with the love of her life. She poured six years of love and longing into that, their first kiss with the promise of many, many more.

ooo000ooo

One more chapter to go boys and girls; aptly titled "Loose Ends."


	39. Chapter 38: Loose Ends

Chapter 38 – Tying up Loose Ends (Epilogue)

Odd as it may seem the majority of the wedding guests, the bride and groom and the mothers in law never knew the extent of the battle that raged outside, all they knew at the time was that there was a "spot of bother" that had been dealt with.

There was a great deal of speculative whispering when Commander Harry James Potter escorted a fellow Auror Corps Officer and a drop dead gorgeous redhead to their seats before taking his place with the other groomsmen. A fight broke out amongst the bridesmaids, and the mothers as both Gabrielle and Ginevra insisted that they were going to be escorted to the front by Harry. Harry offered to sit this one out but Arthur came to the rescue with a simple 'toss of the coin' solution. When Ginevra lost the coin toss she swore she wouldn't speak to her father for a month.

As the music began and the groomsmen escorted their charges to the front of the hall Gabrielle focused all her considerable veela charm on Harry. He simply whispered "you need to stop that, you're discombobulating all the men and pissing off the women."

"Not all the men it seems _monsieur_" she pouted. Harry didn't know then that the most desirable trait a veela could hope for in a prospective mate was immunity to her charms; it meant that she could be unguarded, be herself without reducing him to goo. She made up her mind then and there to be everything Harry Potter could possibly want in a mate. She would be patient, she had time, and he would be hers eventually.

When the High Priest presented Mr. and Mrs. Bill Weasley the party that followed was legend. All the Weasley family insisted that Harry and Hermione stand with them in the receiving line; Harry said that if he was accepted as a Weasley then his beloveds Belle and Marietta had to be as well. Not too many people in attendance missed the fact that Harry and his ladies very nearly outshone the bride and groom.

When it came time for the toast Molly Weasley handed Harry a goblet which fell and broke owing to Ginny 'accidentally' bumping his elbow. A very stricken looking Ginevra steeled herself and told her mother in a hissing whisper that she would not induce or charm or potion a man into falling in love with her, no matter how well it had worked out for Molly Prewitt. She was nonetheless heartbroken to see the man of her dreams enjoying the company of his beautiful ladies. When she went over to greet Harry she wished him every happiness; and was surprised to realize that she truly meant it. If Harry was happy, that was enough for her. She would be content to love him from afar, never letting him know how she ached for him.

What she didn't know was that Belle had overheard her conversation with her mother and that through the bond, Harry had heard as well. A long private discussion ensued via the bond.

Belle pulled Ginny to the side later and told her that she had known about "Molly's little helper" and had transfigured the contents of the goblet. Further, if she were amenable she would be invited to join the Potter family, as Marietta and Hermione had already agreed. A very dazed and confused Ginevra Weasley took her seat after the last round of toasts.

Harry's dance card was full that evening, he danced first with Marie, then Belle, then Hermione (who kept him on the dance floor until the band had to take a break). He danced with Gabrielle, who didn't try to dose him with Veela pheromones, but did plaster herself against him, memorizing his feel and scent so that she could fortify herself until the day when she would come for him again. He danced with Fleur who felt the need to warn him that someday her little sister would come for him, and that he should be ready. He danced with Ginny, who couldn't make up her mind right then if she could share or not. He assured her that the decision was entirely hers, that he would always love her whether as a friend or as something more.

"If the plural of mouse is mice, then isn't the plural of spouse spice?" she thought.

"Sounds right to me" Harry agreed, chuckling.

"Oh Gawd, did I say that out loud?" she asked, mortified. He just held her close, swaying to the music, and kissed the top of her head.

"Oh this _is_ nice" she murmured.

Sometime near midnight the Potter family retired to their quarters, Hermione volunteered to carry baby Paul, who had taken a particular shine to her bushy brown hair. Seems he couldn't keep his fingers out of her soft cascading tresses.

Witnessed by Belle and Marie, Hermione pledged her heart to Harry that night, and everyone present agreed that it would be her night. She knew she loved Harry and she thought she knew from her researches and some personal experiences what to expect on her 'night of nights,' nothing could have prepared her for the reality of it. She'd engaged in some medium to heavy snogging with Ron fairly recently, and had enjoyed some passionate interludes with the Bulgarian Bon-bon (who introduced her to the joys of non-penetrative sex) back when she was fourteen, but our bushy haired know it all had never had full-on intercourse before. Harry relied heavily on his link with Belle to help him be perfect for her. Tender caresses, judicious use of Parseltongue and a highly localized numbing spell made her first time a pure pleasure, after getting used to his girth she became rather insistent, to the point where she was demanding faster, faster, harder, harder, oh fuck of fuck oh fuuuuuuck! Hermione's use of vulgarities shocked and aroused both of them (not to mention Belle, who was enjoying their enjoyment by way of the bond).

"Lucky bint!" Marie exclaimed with a smirk.

"That she is" agreed Belle.

"I meant you" corrected Marietta, "when do I get the benefits of the bond?"

"Are you still on the potion?"

"Not since graduation."

"How long before the effects wear off?"

"I dunno, maybe as much as a month, then two or three more months to get my progesterone levels stabilized."

"So it could be around the time Alexis is ready to greet the world?"

"If not sooner, Goddess let it be sooner" she said as Belle bonelessly settled back into the couch cushions, a look of pure bliss on her flushed, slightly sweat sheened face.

Somewhere around three in the morning a thoroughly satisfied (and slightly cross-eyed) Hermione Jane Granger Potter finally slept, a goofy grin plastered on her face.

The next day all hell broke loose when the wizard press reported that the Boy who Lived had grown into the Man who Triumphed. General Order Number Three had been rescinded in this case so the story could be told of Harry's meteoric rise through the ranks of the newly re-formed Auror Corps. His brilliant and unconventional battle strategies had won the day; resulting in the complete destruction of Tom Riddle's forces with very few casualties on the side of light. When Riddle had died all his marked followers died also, evidently the dark mark was not just a tattoo on the forearm. All the convicted death eaters in Azkaban were found in their cells with their brains literally burned out. Equally disturbing was the fact that every level of the wizarding infrastructure had been infiltrated by death eaters. Among the highly placed DEs: the Prophet's editor in chief, the head of the Ministry of Magical Transportation, three members at large of the Wizengamot, the Undersecretary for the Department for Control of Magical Creatures, and shockingly, some highly placed clergy - even the Arch-Druid of Amesbury was found with his skull smoldering, smelling of burning fat.

The magical population was asked the tough question "did the pervasive presence of Voldemort's pure blood fanatics create the problems within the Magical government, or was their presence at so many levels a symptom of problems that already existed?" Wizarding Britain needed some serious therapy.

The morning after the battle the faculty and staff at Hogwart's were treated to the sight of a joyous Sir Nicholas riding into the great hall on a magnificent ghostly stallion carrying his own head under his arm.

Apparently when the inferi that Sir Nicholas was possessing had been decapitated it was enough to remove the last bit of ethereal sinew and skin that had stubbornly held his ghostly head attached. His noble rank and the fact that he was a war hero made '_Newly_ Headless Nick' not only eligible for the headless hunt, but in fact made him the unimpeachable leader of same. His infectious grin would take centuries to fade.

"I must find Commander Potter and thank him and his lovely wife for inviting us to join them!"

Problem was; the Mrs. Potter that Sir Nicholas wanted to thank was gone, she had crossed over.

Harry explained that the magical implosion that ended the battle of Ottery St. Catchpole should have killed both himself and Tom.

"I hated it that I would not be with you anymore" he told his wives, "even so, there was no way I was going to let Tom get away again, I knew the amount of power we were using was crazy, suicidally crazy, but you would all live in a Voldemort-free world and that was more important to me than my own life, I love you that much."

Myrtle understood, the cosmic balance required that a soul move on to the next plane so she had gone on in her beloved's place, trading her Earthly existence for his so that her sister wives would have their husband and the babies, Paul and Alexis, would have their father.

Myrtle had retained her child-like demeanor throughout her afterlife and that infectious feeling of glee, that quality of innocence and wonder would be missed for years to come. Later that afternoon they found the graveyard that contained Myrtle's mortal remains. She had begged Harry to not weep for her as she was just going on ahead to prepare a place for all of them but he and his ladies wept unashamedly as he magically replaced her tiny grave marker with a beautiful six-foot marble pyramid onto which he engraved and gilded "In Loving Memory of Myrtle Frisbee Potter, beloved wife and mother, taking a well deserved rest 1931-1947-1997"

Harry was the wizarding world's golden boy again. News of his leadership during what came to be known as the battles of London, Hogwart's and Ottery St. Catchpole made many people re-think the requirement that a candidate had to be at least fifty years old to hold the office of Minister of Magic. Harry declined the offers for political office but did accept promotion to the rank of Brigadier and the commission to keep training current and unconventional in the Auror Corps. When he was summoned to the royal presence he accepted the mantle of Knight, Protector of the Realm, and Baron of Magic for the United Kingdom. Belle loved introducing him after that as Brigadier Baron Sir Harry James Potter and of course all the Potter spouses were Baronesses.

When news of Harry's polygamy hit the papers the public's response was one of unprecedented support. He was the savior of the wizarding world and if he could get two or ten or fifty women to be his helpmates well then that was alright with them. Needless to say the Potters were deluged with owls offering betrothals. Sensing the direction of the political winds the Wizengamont voted unanimously to sanction polygamous marriages in magical Britain. This resulted in a flurry of multiple pairings including, but not limited to the Weasley and Patil twins forming a six way marriage with Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson. Neville Longbottom took Hanna Abbot and Susan Bones and Daphne Greengrass as his lawfully wedded wives.

"So that's why Neville's patronus is a bloody big stallion; good on you Neville!"

Neville and his fiancés visited the Potters one evening and formally asked for Harry to stand as best man and Belle as Matron of honor.

"I am honored," Belle told the assembled guests, "but wouldn't you rather have Hermione and Ginny stand with your brides?"

"No, as much as we love both Hermione and Ginny, we feel the need to heal the breech between the families Black and Longbottom; I'm hoping you'll stand with Hanna, Baroness, and that the Lady Malfoy and Mrs. Tonks will stand with Susan and Daphne respectively."

Belle understood, more than anyone present, that Neville had grown into the role of patriarch and was offering to ally the House of Longbottom with the Noble Houses of Potter and Black, and that ere long betrothals would be offered between the houses, cementing them further. She would never know that Neville had known all along that she had been, in fact, _the_ Bellatrix Lestrange who had tortured his parents into insanity, but nothing of the old Bellatrix could be found in Belle Black Potter, and Harry loved her. That was good enough for Neville.

Many students at Hogwart's found themselves orphaned and broke when the plague of the dark mark decimated pure-blood wizarding Britain. Dozens of children were underage and had no family that could or would take them in. Some of these once proud and pampered pure-bloods were reduced to begging in Knockturn Alley, easy prey for the lowlifes that gravitated there. Pansy Parkinson saw a man she thought she recognized, a disreputable scrounger of indeterminate age who had never taken the dark mark, but had served the Dark Wanker nonetheless. Marty Bollinger was an opportunist, a type of human vulture who seemed to profit from the misfortunes of others, he also liked little girls. The old reprobate was dragging a sobbing, obviously broken hearted child by the arm. The girl wore a dress that was two sizes too small and had obviously seen better days. She couldn't have been more than eight years old. Pansy stood in front of the unlikely pair and asked the girl "what's the matter?"

"Mind yer own bint" Bollinger growled menacingly, "this one's commin' wit me!"

Pansy pulled her wand and pointed it between the old man's eyes "I was askin' the princess here, d'you mind?"

"My b-brother, h-he he _sold_ me to this man!"

Pansy's eyes narrowed, "why?"

"He wanted some stuff, an no one was helping us, we begged and begged and everyone just ignored us and Will says he can't keep me no more and, and this man says I'm worth ten Galleons and, and, and . . ." at this point the howling child collapsed into a heap.

"Will, Will . . . Will Farthington" Pansy asked, "is your name Farthington?"

The little girl looked up and nodded "Alison, Alison Farthington" she said by way of introduction.

"She's commin wit me, I paid f'her!"

Pansy realized too late that she had allowed herself to get distracted by the distraught child and the man now had his wand on her, he smiled a crooked grin and said, "I know just the thing, _Imperio_!"

She felt herself go all calm and contented, what business was it of hers that some old perv was plying the trade in little girl flesh?

In spite of the compulsion Pansy began to tremble in fury, how dare he? This child was not chattel to be bought and sold and used and abused and Goddess knows what else!

The man saw her shaking off the effects of the _Imperius_ curse and leveled his wand again, "oh no," he said, "can't have you goin' on about me business here, _Avada_ -"

"_Expeliarmus_!"

His wand went flying and a furious Millicent Bulstrode bore down on Pansy's assailant.

Little Alison stumbled to Pansy and clung to her as if she were drowning and the Slytherin girl was her life preserver.

"Let's see, you used one unforgivable and was about use another one on me girlfriend here, and you're draggin' this child away against her will. They're gonna' love your ass in Azkaban!"

"You got me all wrong, I was jus' gonna' take care of the little nipper is all!"

"Keep your wand on him, Millie" Pansy instructed as she pointed her own wand straight up, firing off red sparks, the universal signal of mages in distress. Fortunately there was an auror just one street over.

The MDLE officer listened to Pansy, Millicent and Allison before taking Marty away, "come along Alison" the auror gently ordered.

"Do you mind if I look after her?" Pansy asked the officer.

"I should take her to Family Services," he saw the pleading in Pansy's eyes, and more importantly, Alison's eyes as the young girl clung to the older one.

"Can you take care of her?" the auror asked.

"Of course!"

Millicent looked sideways at Pansy but assured the officer that both she and Pansy had the wherewithal to care for the child.

When the auror left Millicent asked, "Well, do you have enough to care for her?"

"Yeah, my trust fund wasn't confiscated, if I'm careful, I can get by, and you know what they say, two can live as cheaply as one."

"Y'know, there's lots of kids like Alison here . . ."

"I know," she agreed, hugging the child close, "any ideas?"

"Well . . ."

Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode combined what little money they had left in their trust funds to buy a small estate on the outskirts of Hogsmeade where they offered shelter and assistance to those without means who were orphaned by the war. In the beginning it was a hand-to-mouth existence; Pansy and Millicent were quickly depleting their inheritances just trying to keep three dozen children fed. Rita Skeeter, of all people, came to their rescue by printing a human interest story about the House of Hope, which caught Hermione's eye. She explained the situation to Harry, who decided to use his fame for once to lobby the wizard and muggle governments for assistance. The Potter family funded a scholarship in Myrtle's name that would allow impoverished students to stay in Hogwart's and placed them into apprenticeships or continuing education programs upon graduation. The Parkinson House of Hope, as it came to be known, would become the paradigm for foster care in the wizarding world and for many years scores of magical children would fondly remember the care and love they received from Mama Pansy.

Theodore Knott Junior went in a completely different direction. He blamed the Potters for his loss of status and fortune and started recruiting among the disenfranchised to oppose that "half-blood upstart" who was the ruin of the wizarding world. He recruited Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, but Greg Goyle was dating Millicent Bulstrode who worked with Pansy Parkinson who was very much indebted to the Potters for their help and support building Parkinson House.

No one ever found out what happened to the upstart gang that Knott was trying to put together, but when it was mentioned around Pansy she could barely suppress her smug grin. Any threat to Harry was a threat to Parkinson House and her children. She was a mother defending her children and no one with half a brain would go up against a mother protecting her young. Apparently Knott hadn't been in possession of the prerequisite half-a-brain.

Millicent took in both Crabbe and Goyle, who were natural followers in any case, and were quite content to be bossed around by their substantial significant other. The one place where she was content to let her 'boys' take charge was in the bedroom, where she enjoyed proving that one bird could indeed make two blokes very, very happy – provided the blokes in question were willing to share. The boys offered their troths to Millicent and left the names of Crabbe and Goyle behind, choosing to become Vincent and Greg Bulstrode instead. To the children of Parkinson House they were simply "Uncle's Vince and Greg."

José Cruz did finally convince Tina Morris that they had a chance for a life together, and along with Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin and the Potters, of course, they petitioned to get the laws changed regarding lycanthropes. At the end of a marathon session of the Wizengamot the laws describing werewolves as "dark creatures" were changed to reflect the true status of lycanthropy, that of a disease. True, there were evil werewolves, but that was because those individuals had already been dark before they had contracted the disease.

Severus Snape descended into deep depression using more and more of his potions skills to produce mood altering drugs, which had him spiraling down into deeper bouts of depression. He violated the first law of drug dealers, 'don't get high on your own supply,' he sold his designer drugs to maintain the house at Spinner's End and keep up his potions inventories. He was surprised by a visit one day from four members of his old house, Pansy, Millicent, Gregory, and Vincent.

Pansy got straight to the point. Stop manufacturing and selling drugs, or go the way of Ted Nott, Junior.

Snape again had the presence of mind to realize his life was on the line here.

"Anything else, Miss Parkinson?"

"Yeah, we could use some help at the manor, you have skills, what do you say?"

"Intriguing, are you offering me a job?"

"I'm offering you a chance, _Mister_ Snape, a chance to be able to look at yourself at the end of the day and know you've made your corner of the world just a little bit better. That's what Parkinson House is going to be about, second chances. It's not a handout, it's a hand up."

Snape knew he could just run away, set up shop somewhere else, but this magical community was his home. He immediately agreed to stop producing his 'products' but declined the first offer to join Parkinson House. It took a three more visits to convince him, and a dozen more after that to satisfy all of Mama Pansy's requirements.

Get off the drugs, to this end Pansy performed a powerful purgative hex that completely (albeit painfully) flushed all the poisons from his body. She had to repeat the spell twice as the 'greasy git' kept backsliding.

Change his name to something less 'severe,' they settled on Allen for his first name and Prince, his mother's maiden name for his surname. He would simply be known as "Mr. Prince."

Change his wardrobe. The long black cloak would scare the younger children. They finally compromised on a charcoal grey tweed suit with a matching cloak to wear against the Scottish chill.

Wash and condition his hair every morning, no more 'greasy git.'

Mr. Prince became the male head of Parkinson House, soft spoken and gentle with his primary school aged children and fiercely protective of all those under his care. At some point Mama Parkinson and Mr. Prince moved into the master bedroom and Mr. Prince was forever known afterwards as Papa Prince. Before long they began to address each other as 'Mama' and 'Papa,' and both found that they enjoyed the little intimacies.

Those obviously weren't the only types of intimacies they shared; little Ethan Prince came into the world after about a year. He was perfect, he had neither the hawk's bill of a nose that Papa Prince sported, nor the pug nose of Mama Pansy, Ethan's little nose was the ideal compromise. Both parents were secretly relieved.

They were visited by a delegation from the Ministry of Magic, department of Children and Families. The surprise inspection found nothing amiss, what they did find was as close to a perfect example of foster care as could be found anywhere. They left with glowing reports that increased the endowment for Parkinson House and asked Pansy and Allen Prince to please make suggestions for other foster homes. The list was simple:

Love the children, especially those who seem unlovable, make every effort to catch each child in the act of being or doing good every day, let them know you appreciate them

Clearly define expectations, give each child responsibilities

Belts are for holding up trousers, not for discipline

Hug every child at least once a day, see rule one

Have a warm breakfast everyday

Help each child discover his or her dream, then pursue that dream

Tell every child that you love him / her everyday, again, see rule one

Make sure they have a place to call their own.

When Michael Eddington had his 11th birthday an owl arrived with his Hogwart's letter, he was at once excited, and then depressed. He knew he'd be one of the kids that the others would look down upon in his hand-me-down robes and second-hand books. His mood was lifted when a beautiful white owl delivered another envelope, which contained certificates for new robes, books and supplies including a customized Ollivander's wand; all paid for by the Myrtle Frisbee Potter endowment. He would be endowed on the anniversary of his birthday for the next seven years provided he did his best in class and didn't get into too much trouble. It was the best birthday ever!

Romilda Vane set her sights on Ron Weasley and managed to catch him without benefit of amortentia this time. She also made it clear that she would be woman enough for her man and she did not share.

Luna Lovegood was patient, she knew the relationship wouldn't last, and being a true seer, she was proven right in short order. She also saw her future self surrounded by three mischievous and adorably rambunctious strawberry blonde daddy's girls that called her 'mummy.'

Harry repeated his vows to Belle and Marietta and Hermione and Ginevra consented to be sister wives as well. When the High Priest declared them 'husband and wives' a pentacle formed to bond them heart and mind and soul. This allowed them to enjoy each others presence even when parted, whether or not there was a pregnancy bond. This made the healers even more insistent that he take the dampening draught, but Harry remained adamant, he would not even consider severing his cherished mate bond. He began to have second thoughts, however, when Alexis decided it was time to meet the world. In the end Harry floated with Belle and all the other wives in the birthing pool as Harry's first daughter was born. When the umbilicus was cut Harry despaired that he would not be able to 'hear' Belle anymore, but he needn't have worried, they were magically bonded for life, and beyond.

Marietta and Ginevra were next on the baby wagon, apparently impregnated in a rush of emotions and hormones following the birth of Alexis. Nine months later two very large Missus' Potter floated in the same birthing tank to welcome Lilly and James Edgecombe Potter and Albus and Sirius Weasley Potter. Hermione stayed on the potion so that she could attend university.

Hermione matriculated at Oxford's Exeter College of Medicine where she graduated, no surprise here, first in her class. Soon after graduation she began to work on merging the worlds of magical and muggle medicine while simultaneously increasing the size of the Potter brood. Both were a labor of love, one was just a hell of a lot more fun!

"Mummy Belle, Mummy Belle!" a very excited four year old Paul Potter shouted, "there's an angel at the door, come quick!"

Belle went to greet their visitor and was astonished to see a platinum blonde goddess in a proper maroon business suit. She offered her card:

_Gabrielle Delacour_

_Investment Management International_

_Beauchamp, London_

"Gabrielle!" Belle enthused, "it's wonderful to see you, please come in!"

"My Lady Baroness, you are too kind."

The young professional French woman spoke English without a trace of an accent.

"Harry will be thrilled to see you!"

"As I will be to see him, but first I must speak with you and your co-wives."

Belle was pretty sure she understood the French Girl's predicament and called over the shared bond. Ginny arrived first, flooing in from the Burrow where Granmum Molly was lording it over her charges and managing to teach the basics of letters and numbers. Ginny was in the first weeks of her second trimester and was just beginning to show but she still stepped out of the fireplace with the poise and balance of the athlete she was.

Marie just had to come in from the back yard where she had been enjoying sun-bathing on her day off. She looked like a lingerie model in her barely there bikini.

Hermione apparated in from her research lab where she was perfecting the integration of inter-ocular implants into the wizarding world, she was in the white lab coat that she favored over her witches robe, the light overcoat was tented out as she was just entering the eighth month of her first pregnancy.

They all greeted Gabrielle warmly. Then seated themselves comfortably in the cozy sitting room.

Most people would be cowed in the presence of the four most powerful witches in Britain, but Gabrielle had prepared for this meeting for months, years, if the truth be told. 'This is it' she thought to herself, 'my one toss of the dice.'

"I have come to petition the wives of Lord Baron Harry Potter for permission to join their ranks as fifth wife. I have skills that will increase the Potter fortune and give out Lord Baron greater influence in our increasingly international wizarding world."

The silence that followed was deafening, and deceptive, as there was a flurry of 'traffic' over the bond.

After what seemed like an age, all four Missus' Potter nodded in agreement and looked solemnly at the extremely well composed Mademoiselle Delacour.

"Gabrielle" Belle said softly "there is no position of 'fifth wife' available."

The French girl nodded once and began to rise from her chair.

Hermione gestured for Gabrielle to stay seated "_S'il vous plaît__ Mademoiselle Delacour d'attente._"

She waited.

Hermione continued "There is no 'fifth wife,' neither is there a fourth, third, second or first wife. We are all bound to Harry, as he is to us legally and magically. As a matter of fact, I suspect we'll be seeing him shortly as we have all excused ourselves from the bond that we share so that we could have this little _tête à tête_."

Marie asked "Gabrielle, why would you want to share your husband with four other women?"

A single tear traced a path down the French girl's perfect cheek. "Can you imagine what it's like, to know you can enthrall any man you meet, with a smile, with a gesture, with a burst of irresistible pheromones? No, I didn't think so. When Harry and I walked down the aisle at my sister's wedding I tried to enthrall him, do you know what happened?"

They all shook their heads.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Ginny asked, incredulously.

"Nothing at all, it seems our Harry is immune to Veela power."

Marietta looked confused, "and that's good because . . ."

"Because I can be myself around him, I can release my power and know that the only thing he sees is me, not some . . . sexual deviant's plaything!"

She began to sob.

"I have had to defend myself from boys and men since the age of eleven, thanks to my 'gift' of precocious development. Do you know I graduated from Beaubatons two years early? I have had to hurt classmates who were my friends, co-workers and bosses who would never dream of doing to their wives or girlfriends the things they wanted to do to me, and when they touched me I could see what they were thinking, what they were scheming to do with me; to do to me! My only anchor, the only thing that has kept me sane these past five years is the memory of the man I fell in love with in the waters of that freezing lake at Hogwart's."

All four Ladies Potter smiled at this, as soon as they knew Gabrielle's love overshadowed her need they were in agreement.

"Please join us for dinner, Gabrielle," Belle insisted "tonight will be an occasion, we will all dress, Harry will have his favorite foods, a bit of excellent French wine and then we will let him back into our bond – I can feel him trying to worm his way into my consciousness even as we speak!"

"Mine too" the others agreed.

Belle smiled smugly and sent Harry a message 'be on time for dinner tonight, be sure to dress for company, until then leave us and the children alone!'

She then cut Harry from the familial link.

"Belle Black Potter" Ginny smirked, "that was truly evil!"

Hermione and Marietta were practically in tears holding each other and laughing.

Gabrielle looked confused, "what is going on?"

Ginny explained, "The last time we shut Harry out of our bond he had gone out with the boys and had a bit too much to drink. . ."

Belle interjected "much too much to drink!"

". . . yes, and he began to describe some of our more intimate moments with a bunch of slobbering Neanderthals who couldn't wait to spread 'orgy' stories around to the other knuckle draggers . . ."

Hermione continued "one of the men there was taking notes for the sensational story he was going to publish in PlayWizard! We wouldn't have been able to show our faces in public again, so our Lady Belle had us dress in our best formal gowns and we all apparated into the midst of the "gentlemen's" club where Ginny hit him with a sobering spell.

Marietta picked up the story "the look on Harry's face was priceless, he realized what he had been doing and was completely mortified."

"You are cut off Baron Potter; you are not welcome in our rooms or in our bond until you fix the mess you have made here!" She then put a locking and silencing charm on the hall they were in; no one was leaving without her permission. "You can start by obliviating your '_friends'_ here, either that or kill them, at this point I really don't care!"

Ginny and Marietta guffawed at the memory, "it looked for the world like Bellatrix had returned from the grave, I don't know who was more panicked, Harry or the other men in the club."

"We apparated back home and set our occlumency shields at maximum, Harry was alone for the first time in years."

"He was so contrite; there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for us. He cooked, and cleaned and fetched and Merlin, Morganna and Maeve, enough flowers to open a florist warehouse and enough candy to put all of Hogwart's on a sugar high."

"And don't forget the kids . . ."

Belle chucked at the memory, "yes, he had little Paul and Alexis wearing T-shirts that read:

**Daddy's**

**Really**

**REALLY**

**Sorry!**

"I have to admit though; it was as hard on us as it was on him . . ."

". . . but the make-up sex was fabulous!"

Ginny patted her tummy maternally and said "oh yes!"

Gabrielle dared to hope, "does this mean . . ."

Belle smiled and said "by the time the Baron gets home he'll readily agree to anything we ask of him, sister wife."

The girl's knees went weak as she cried "_oh merci Déesse, merci beaucoup!_"

The flowers arrived before Harry did, each wife receiving two dozen of her favorites, along with a parchment good for a complete at home spa treatment whenever they wanted.

Harry apparated to the door in his impeccable dress uniform (more gold braid than a Spanish admiral, he always groused) and formally greeted his wives and their guest whose beauty, in Harry's eyes, was second only to that of his spouses.

Dinner was pleasant in spite of the fact that Harry was on needles and pins trying to figure out what he had done _this_ time, he hadn't had more than a single glass of wine with dinner since the debacle at the club.

After dinner Gabrielle presented her credentials to the Baron and Baronesses Potter, then went to 'freshen up.' When she left the room Belle asked "what do you think, milord?"

"Um, yeah, I can see where Gabrielle would be a wonderful asset; we can surely offer her a position."

Four sets of snickers startled Harry into realizing there was a setup here, some kind of monumental prank.

"Would that be missionary, doggie, or my personal favorite the 'my knees on your shoulders' position?" Marietta smirked.

Belle smiled benignly, "let's let our Lord Husband in, shall we?"

They all dropped their barriers at the same time and the rush of information made Harry dizzy for a moment. That was quite a lot to take in at one time!

Any other man would have to ask "are you all right with this?" or "is this some kind of cruel joke?"

Not Harry, he could sense the sincerity of the loves of his life and knew they would support his decision no matter what.

He smiled then slammed his occlumency barriers into place. He could play that game too.

He sat alone in the parlor as Gabrielle returned from the bathroom, rising to his feet he asked her to have a seat on the couch with him.

"Gabrielle, my lady wives have told me of your proposal, and I think you will be a wonderful addition to our family, but I have to ask you, have you ever been out on a date?"

She shook her head 'no,' sadly "only in the company of others, never a date where two people could be intimate."

"Are your parents home this evening?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I need to speak with them, what is the Floo address?"

"Chateau Delacours"

He threw a pinch of floo powder into his fireplace and said "Chateau Delacours!"

The butler answered "Chateau Delacours, S'il vous plaît qui est ceci?"

"This is Baron Brigadier Sir Harry Potter; may I speak with Monsieur Delacour, please?"

"Of course Baron, one moment please."

Jean Paul Delacour's face appeared in the flames "Baron Potter, a pleasure, how may I help you?"

"May I come through, please?"

"Of course"

Ten seconds later Harry emerged from the fireplace in Jean Paul's den.

"Again, Baron Potter, how can I help?"

"You can start by calling me Harry, Monsieur Delacour."

"Only if you call me Jean Paul, Harry."

"Fair enough, Jean Paul, I would like to ask permission to court you daughter Gabrielle, I know she is of age, but I feel that she has been denied a social life owing to her Veela heritage, and I want to do this right."

Jean Paul Delacour poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to Harry.

"Gabrielle told me what she wanted, I asked her if she would be willing to share you with four other wives and she said and I quote, 'I think there's enough Harry to go around' unquote."

"And your feelings on this Jean Paul?"

"Harry, you're in France, we look at romantic liaisons differently here, I told her if that would make her happy then she had my blessings, as do you, son. Welcome to the family!"

The next few months were like a second adolescence for Harry's wives and a long delayed first chance for him and for Gabrielle to be teenagers in love. They took outings to the beach, played volleyball, went to quidditch games, went to musical theater, went to movies, went to dances both formal and informal, ate at fast food restaurants and small bistros and had elegant dinners both out and in. All through this courtship Harry was a perfect gentleman, not pressuring Gabrielle for any more than she was willing to give.

Of course Gabrielle was willing to throw Harry down and mount him in the middle of High Street but Harry kept his hands and other bits limited to a lot of passionate kissing and a bit of heavy snogging where hands roamed freely but clothing stayed on.

Gabrielle was just about ready to explode.

"It's not fair!" she wailed to her mother, Aimee Delacour, "he can just go to his other wives and get release but I have to resort to these!" She raised her hand and wiggled her fingers.

"Mon Cherie, he wants you more than he can say, but he wants you to know that he is willing to wait for you."

"But I don't want him to wait!"

"Then this is what we will do . . ."

Harry arrived home that evening and was shedding his uniform when he spied a delectable looking form in the middle of the bed. A nicely curvy form that gave the covers a fascinating shape.

He padded over to the bed and pulled the covers back to reveal Gabrielle in a negligee that enhanced her already considerable charms.

"Are you sure _Ma Cherie?_"

"More than sure _mon coeur!_"

Harry broadcast a message to the rest of his bondmates and within moments they were all in the bedroom. He indicated that they should all kneel on the bed forming a circle, then he placed his left hand in the middle of the circle, Gabrielle placed her palm against his and the other ladies placed their hands atop hers.

"Belle Black Potter, Marie Edgecombe Potter, Hermione Granger Potter, Ginevra Weasley Potter, and Gabrielle Delacour, will you consent to take my name, share my future my fortune and my follies for as long as we all walk upon this Earth?"

Silken cords appeared and wrapped themselves around the six hands binding them together

Five happy voices intoned a solemn "I will" and the cords tied themselves into the familiar Celtic knots, which then turned emerald green.

Speaking as the husband and patriarch of the hand-fasted group, Harry formally stated "so mote it be" which caused the knots to phase into each of the six wrists leaving a green glowing tattoo on Gabrielle's wrist and renewing the tattoo on all the others.

Harry whooped and jumped up to embrace his ladies, his helpmates, his bonded partners, his wives. Caught up in the euphoria of the moment they all bounced up and down on the massive bed like misbehaving children.

Following congratulations all around the four veteran wives left the master bedroom so that Harry and his new bride could concentrate on one another. Of course, thanks to the mate-bonding all of the wives were able to enjoy their husband enjoying himself . . . several times that night.

The following month Harry and his wives repeated their vows before a high priest to introduce the world to Gabrielle Delacour Potter. As before a visible line of powerful magic connected each of the brides to the groom and to each other forming a six-pointed star, reinforcing the existing bond and creating a powerful new one as well. Gabrielle didn't think she could possibly be happier until Paul and Alexis, the oldest Potter children, without prompting from any of the other spouses, kissed her on either cheek and said "_bienvenue à notre famille, Mère Gabrielle, nous vous aimons!_" and the two sets of twins chimed in with "_nous bous aimons beaucoup_!"

I would love to say Harry and the assorted Missus' Potter lived happily ever after, but like all lives there were great times and not so great times, triumphs and tragedies – the children were often a source of great pride, but equally capable of disappointment (sometimes on the same day). These are tales best told another day.

Like all families, they had their issues, but at the end of the day, they always knew they had each other to love and to be loved; and that is the best and truest magic of them all.

_Fin _

ooo000ooo

Thus endeth the tale.

What a ride this has been. I looked at my original outline, which was going to be a very short story, perhaps two or three chapters, wherein Bellatrix rapes Harry, is infected with innocence and dies by her own hand at childbirth to keep from tainting the child. There was no training academy, no Marietta Edgecombe, no Myrtle.

What can I say; sometimes a story takes on a life of its own.

Many thanks to those of you who read the story and especially those of you who took the time to write reviews and comments along the way; you are my heroes.


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